Broken Seals, Second Chances
by Alistor
Summary: The Curse Seal of Heaven. It was a slave collar, a leash to a master that caused nothing but pain. When Jiraiya found a way to remove it, Anko jumped at the chance. But no one anticipated the consequences. AU NaruAnko Rated M for Language, possible lemons
1. Chapter 1  The Broken Seal

**Author's Notes: **Well, many of you may have read my previous story, Uzumaki Rising. I liked that story, but I hit a huge roadblock called writer's block, and I couldn't find a suitable detour to alleviate the issue. So I did what many writers do and started a second story, hoping to get the creative juices flowing, this is what I came up with. The unfortunate side effect was that I wasn't able to fix the writers block from my last story, and that I grew to love this idea much, much more.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

"_words_" = whispered dialog

" **words" **= demon/summon dialog

'words' = thoughts

**'words' **= demon/summon thoughts

**==words== = **location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback- _= start of flashback

_-End- _= end of flashback

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

hmm... ok that about covers it... on to the story.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 1**

**== Hokage Tower, Basement Level ==**

Jiraiya grinned. He'd finally gotten around that last array in that bastard's work. He only had to tweak the chakra levels a bit and it would be as close perfect as possible. "Hey, sensei! I got it! I broke the last array!"

Sarutobi walked into the room, eyeing the surrounding area with interest. The walls were covered with diagrams and array maps of all kinds. Many were complicated, and most were near impossible to decipher, but a few were quite simple. They all held one commonality. "Jiraiya, are all these individual seals part of the Curse Seal of Heaven's array?" Sarutobi smiled, knowing that his former pupil only got this excited when he managed to show up his former teammate, Orochimaru.

Jiraiya grinned, his head bobbing furiously. "Yeah, but that wasn't the issue. It was the layering in the array. It took forever, but I finally mapped it all out. Thankfully, the seal on Anko is the same as the seal I found in Orochimaru's notes."

Sarutobi looked at Jiraiya, his face dark. "I thought all his research material was destroyed after we raided the last of his labs. Are you saying that his notes are somewhere here in Konoha?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "All his experiments and research into gene and DNA manipulation were destroyed, yes. However, I thought it might be prudent to keep his seal research in a sealed scroll hidden in this basement, just in case we encountered it in the future."

Sarutobi put his hand on is chin. "I don't like that I wasn't informed of this, but it has served a good cause this day. Are there any other seals you can break?"

Jiraiya shook his head, a Cheshire cat-like grin spreading over his face. "No this was the most complex of the lot. The others are already broken. Even the Earth Seal."

Sarutobi smiled. "So, we can remove the source of Anko's pain, finally. Tell me, what are the side effects?"

The Toad-Sennin sighed. "Like I said, not sure. Only way to find out is to try it." he said. Then he grinned, "I can guarantee it won't kill her though!"

The Sandaime looked at him. "Well, I'll send a messenger to Anko and have her be here at ten AM tomorrow."

Jiraiya nodded, then began preparing the Sealing Chamber downstairs. He'd need the next fifteen hours or so to get the counter seals in place. "Take that, you ero-hebi bastard," he whispered to himself.

**== Hokage's Tower, Hallway ==**

Naruto sat outside the Hokage's office. He was excited. His Genin exam was coming up in a month, and he'd be able to quit his current job as a runner for the Hokage. Genin pay, while not much, was still more than he made now as a messenger. Add that to the stipend he got from his unknown benefactor each month, and he was pretty much set. Under normal circumstances, his stipend would have been more than enough, but his condition made it harder on him. He was often the victim of price gouging, and more often than not was simply refused service. _'Stupid sealing. Making me put up with all this crap. Damn fox…' _

Naruto sighed, remembering how he'd been told he was the Kyūbi's vessel when he was four. It started when a drunk villager attacked him and started spouting that the entire village was corrupted by his presence and the Hokage was the worst. The village leader had even made a special law that forbade anyone from telling the boy about the fox's true demise. ANBU showed up and took the man into custody, then escorted Naruto to the Hokage's tower. The Sandaime made very sure that Naruto understood that he was not the Kyūbi, but the jailor that saved the village. He understood, but was still depressed and had refused to leave his apartment for days. He finally left when the Hokage himself offered to treat him to all the ramen he could eat.

Naruto remained in thought, reminiscing about the few happy moments in his life. He didn't hear the door open, or even notice the man in white robes standing beside him, coughing discreetly. When Naruto failed to notice, a small tick formed over the figure's eye.

"Naruto! Pay attention!" The robed figure said, with enough force to wake up a coma patient. Naruto started, then lifted his gaze, his eyes finally settling on the smiling face of his adopted grandfather, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hokage-jiji! Got something for me to do?" The Sandaime nodded his head, and held out a scroll to Naruto.

"Deliver this to Anko."

Naruto looked at the Hokage for a moment, his eyes narrowed. "Is Anko-nee-chan in trouble?"

Sarutobi laughed. "No, Anko isn't in trouble. I'd tell you more, but Anko needs that scroll first."

Naruto nodded, then tucked the scroll into his inner pocket. "Know where she is?"

"My first guess would be the Dango Shack. She seems to enjoy that place a lot." Naruto nodded, then turned and started running.

It didn't matter if the Sandaime knew where to look, because Naruto's nose could find her, no matter what. Anko had a very unique scent, a mixture of trees, earth and snakes, and the boy found it easily. He assumed that the fox gave him his enhanced senses, but he never had a way to find out. Shrugging his shoulders, Naruto dashed towards the scent of dumplings and snakes.

**== Dango Shack ==**

Anko Mitarashi was in a foul mood. She'd been confined to the village for three weeks, after a surgery to remove several dozen senbon from her gut after the last mission. She'd moped around the first week or so, literally snapping at everyone she saw. Naruto had been one of those unlucky victims. He still had nightmares of the encounter.

Now, with her three week imprisonment almost over, she'd become a hyperactive, albeit cranky, creature. She was anxious to get out of the village, anxious to get back to work. It wasn't like she needed the money, but being in the interrogation rooms at ANBU Headquarters meant she wasn't dealing with the idiots in the town, and that meant she didn't have to deal with all the abuse that was slung her way every day. Just because her Jōnin sensei was Orochimaru, she was reviled. She let her mind wander back to the day he left.

_- Flashback -_

_Anko stood there, not comprehending what was being said to her. "Orochimaru-sensei, I don't get it. Why do you have to leave?"_

_Her mentor turned and looked at her, his eyes cold, piercing to her core. "You wouldn't under stand." Anko lunged at him, wrapping her small arms around his waist._

_"Sensei, take me with you! Please! No one else cares about me like you do! I need you!" Anko sobbed, remembering that Orochimaru had been the one there to pick her up after her parents had been murdered. He had been the one to comfort her, to give her a purpose again. Now he was leaving her too, and it felt like her heart was being torn apart, slowly, agonizingly, as if the gods found pleasure in her anguish._

_Orochimaru looked at her, his gaze softened for a moment, before it grew cold again. "I have a parting gift for you. All of my research has gone into making this, and while it's far from perfect, it **will** make you stronger, and you **will** one day seek me out to understand how it works. If you truly need me, you will find the strength to survive this pain, and you will come looking for me. Think of it as a test, kukukuku." As quickly as the snakes he adored, Anko felt her sensei sink his teeth into her shoulder, and screamed as wildfire spread throughout her nervous system, her chakra coils, down to, what she felt was, her very soul. Orochimaru laughed, then slowly melted into a puddle of mud, vanishing into the night._

_- End -_

Anko smiled sadly. That was two days before the Yondaime, a man who had been in power for less than three months, sacrificed himself to save the village. It had been one of the saddest weeks of her life. She vaguely remembered being in a daze and making one of the worst decisions in her life. She went after her master. Anko sighed, wishing for the thousandth time that she could take it back.

-=0000000=-

Naruto skidded to a halt just outside the Dango Shack. He performed a quick henge, taking on the look of a bored Chūnin with long dark hair and green eyes, and walked in side. He scanned the room, and quickly found what he was searching for, the purple-haired 'Snake Mistress of Konoha'. She was sitting at the bar, a plate of Dango in front of her, and a bottle of sake in her hand. Sitting next to her, he reached over and grabbed a skewer of dumplings and popped one in his mouth. He looked at the bartender and ordered a soda, using being on duty as an excuse for not drinking.

Anko looked at the newcomer sitting next to her and snarled. "Where the hell do you get off taking my food, you snot-nosed prick? You think just cause it's there you can fucking put your grubby hands on my meal and expect me to be ok with it?"

The dark haired stranger looked at her, and she noticed that the once green eyes were now a startling cerulean, and only one person in Konoha had those eyes. "Oh, it's you, gaki. Why are you here, and why are you using henge?" Naruto grinned then pointed to a poster on the wall that had his picture and a simple message on it. 'Do Not Serve.' Anko shook her head in disgust, and pushed the plate of food away. Now she had to find a new place to get dango. Naruto tugged on her coat, trying to get her attention.

"Hey, Anko. The old man asked me to get this to you, said it's important." He handed her a scroll he had removed from his coat. Then he downed his soda, and grabbed a couple more skewers before walking outside.

Anko looked over the scroll, then shrugged, paid for her meal, and stepped outside before using shunshin to appear in front of her apartment building. She quickly made her way inside, flopping into a large overstuffed chair. The opened the scroll and began reading. There were only a few lines.

_Anko, _

_There is a matter of great import that I must discuss with you. If you could be so kind as to be in my office at 10 AM tomorrow, it will all be made clear to you._

_Hiruzen Sarutobi,_

_Sandaime Hokage_

Anko mulled over what she had just read. It was important, and it required immediate attention. One thought immediately entered her mind. _'YES! I'm back on active duty, fuckers! Anko Mitarashi is on the warpath! WOOT!'_

Excited about this turn of events, Anko decided to have one of her famous 'Sake Nights'. She called her friend Kurenai, and told her to bring at least two jugs. It was gonna be a good night.

**== The Next Day ==**

Anko rolled over and squinted, as the shrill ringing of her alarm clock roused her from slumber. The sunlight pouring in through her shades was blinding and it was all worse due to the massive headache she had. Fumbling around, Anko finally found her alarm clock and grunted as she tried to find the off switch. _'Why do I always set my alarm when I have my Sake Nights?'_ She laid her head on the pillows and felt her self slipping back to sleep when a thought hit her. _'Active duty.' _

Like a shot, Anko was up and in the shower, her hangover all but forgotten in her excitement. She washed herself quickly, not taking the time to enjoy the heat, like normal. She dressed in her usual attire, ready to face the morning. '_Gonna be a good day.'_

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat outside Anko's door. He was waiting to begin his shadow day, a new program designed by the Hokage to show students what life was like for the shinobi of the village. Each academy student was responsible for finding a shinobi of Chūnin level or higher and shadowing them for the day, learning what they do in their day-to-day duties. Naruto wasn't on very good terms with most of the population of Konoha, so he'd asked Anko. She was a Tokubetsu Jōnin, and an Interrogator for ANBU. He felt the corners of his mouth twitch as the memories of their first meeting popped up in his mind.

He'd met her after she did held a demonstration on interrogation techniques. Iruka-sensei thought it would be a good idea at the time, but Anko's diehard attitude toward her work was more gruesome than anything. Naruto found her to be a pretty nice person under the mask that she wore. He was good at spotting masks, mainly because he wore one everyday. It wasn't because he was super smart or anything, it was simply because his pain was his and his alone, and he wouldn't burden anyone else with it. He immediately sensed that she was the same, though she put up a mask of violence and anger.

After the seminar, he'd approached her and asked her about it. She was shocked that some one could see through her front, especially an academy student, but she then realized who he was.

_- Flashback -_

_"Mitarashi-san, are you ok?" The purple haired woman twisted around to face the small boy, then got down to his eye level. _

_"First off, it's Anko, not Mitarashi-san, or Anko-san. Second, why wouldn't I be ok?' The boy looked at her, right in the eye._

_"Because you let your mask slip for just a moment. I saw it. The hurt and pain inside. You and me are kinda the same, huh?" Anko stood there dumbfounded. _

_"Whaddya mean kid? We're nothing alike."_

_"Anko, yes we are. I hide my pain behind my smile. I admit that. You do the same, with that violent exterior and the random acts of insanity. I've actually seen you around town. This one time I walked by an alley and you were threatening to castrate some guy for grabbing you... you were gonna use a spoon, it looked like." The boy shuddered. Anko grinned. This kid was supposedly the dobe in his class, but he seemed to have some common sense._

_"Iruka, I'm taking this one with me for the day. I'll let the Hokage know." The boy's teacher simply nodded, assuming he'd caused trouble for the frightening woman._

_Anko took the boy outside and looked him over. "Whats your name, gaki, and how old are you? You're in a third year class, but you look like you're a first year, if not preschool." _

_"Hey, I'm ten!" he howled at her, his face turning red. "And the name is Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."_

_Anko looked at the boy. He looked like he hadn't eaten in days. "You hungry kid?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Ever had dango?"_

_- End -_

Naruto and Anko had become somewhat like friends after that. When his apartment had been firebombed, she let him stay at her place for an entire week. They shared stories, and she actually helped him plan some of his pranks.

Naruto was roused from his reverie by the door to Anko's apartment creaking open. "Good morning Anko-chan." he said to the woman standing in her door. She squinted at him, trying to figure out why he was here so early. Then it clicked.

"Hey, gaki. Shadow day already, huh? Well, good news. I'm going back on active duty today, and that means I get to go back to interrogations. Maybe I'll get that guy they brought in on that drug smuggling bust. He'd be fun to break."

Naruto looked at her like she was crazy, then remembered that she was. It was a good crazy though. "Hey, sounds fun. What was that scroll about yesterday?"

Anko looked at him, and smiled. It was kinda scary if you didn't know her, but Naruto was used to it. "Well, it was a summons to the Hokage's office. Didn't say for what though, but I assume it's because I'm going back on active duty. I need to be there at 10."

Naruto looked down at his watch and paled. "Anko, it's three minutes till 10. You're not gonna make it." Anko checked her own watch and swore, then grabbed Naruto's hand and vanished in a swirl of leaves and dust.

Naruto felt his feet touch down and realized he'd just experienced his first shunshin. "Anko, that was so freaking cool. You have to teach me that."

She shook her head as they walked up the stairs to the Hokage's office. "Sorry, but you need to be a Chūnin to learn that unless you're in an apprenticeship." Naruto squinted at her.

"Can I be your apprentice?" She shook her head.

"Sorry, gaki. I'm only a Tokujō. Gotta be a full Jōnin to take on an apprentice." Naruto nodded, understanding that rules were rules. He shrugged and began walking up the steps to the Hokage's office. He stopped outside the office and sat down, intending to wait for his friend while she was in her meeting. Anko stopped with her hand on the door, and stared at her young friend.

"What the hell you think you're doing, gaki? You're my shadow. You go where I go, you do what I do. Get the hell in here." Naruto leaped to his feet, and scrambled to get in the door with his mentor for the day.

The Sandaime sat behind his desk, piles of paper work stacked around it. He raised his head as Anko walked in, at exactly 10 AM. He also noticed that a certain blonde-haired boy was following her. "Naruto, why are you here? I didn't call for you. Are you in trouble with Iruka again?"

Naruto shook his head violently. "Nuh uh. Today's my day to shadow Anko-chan. I was gonna wait outside, but she said I gotta go where she goes, and do what she does."

The Hokage nodded, then looked at Anko. "This meeting involves your... gift from your former sensei, Anko. Do you want him to be here for it?" Anko's shoulder's fell slightly, her hopes of being on active duty again shot down.

Naruto looked at the Hokage. "This involves Anko-chan's Curse Seal? I already know all about it, and that hebi-teme that messed up her life." He stopped and looked at his friend. "I'll go if you want me to though, Anko-chan." Sarutobi watched as Anko mussed the boys hair and smiled. It was one of the few genuine smiles he'd seen on her face.

"Gaki, you don't have to go anywhere. So," she said, turning to the Sandaime, "what's this all about?"

Sarutobi smiled as the door to his study opened up, and a white haired man walked in, a grin on his face. "My student Jiraiya here has been conducting research on the Curse Seal. You remember when he wanted to inspect yours in person?" Anko nodded. Jiraiya looked her in the eye, and leaned in real close.

"Girlie, I have news for you." He leaned in, and whispered in her ear. "_I can remove the Curse Seal._"

Anko sat there, stunned, her mind racing. It was supposed to be impossible. "H-how? There's no way... is there?"

Jiraiya looked at her and laughed. "Anko, I found your old sensei's notes on how he first created the seal, and I started from there. When I asked to see your mark that one time, I was actually comparing it to the mark in the notes. They're one and the same. From there it was simply reverse engineering it and learning the proper layering in the seal array."

Anko looked at the pervy old man, known for peeping at the bathhouses and getting beaten for it daily. As of right now, he was her best friend. "When can it be done? I want this damned slave collar off of my body. I want to be able to sleep without worry, dammit!"

Naruto had gotten the gist of it from what was said after the whispering. "Jiraiya-sama, can you really help my friend? Can you really get rid of the Curse Seal?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jiraiya looked at the boy and nodded, then turned to Anko. "I have all the necessary seals and arrays set up in one of the basement rooms here in the tower. Are you sure you want to do this? We don't know the side effects of the procedure. All I can say is that you'll survive."

Anko locked eyes with the white-haired man. "So it'll be gone, but I could be fucking cripple? That's pretty terrifying, but I'd rather be an invalid or a vegetable than Orochimaru's unwilling slave anymore. My last mission, we ran into Orochimaru, and I got a gut full of senbon and shuriken cause he used that damn seal to hold me in place, while his lackeys were allowed to use my body for target practice. He was toying with me. I don't want that over my head anymore." She shuddered, then steeled herself. "How long will this take?"

Sarutobi nodded. "Not sure, really. Naruto, you can go. You'll have to make up your shadow day another time."

Anko shook her head. "No, I want him to be there. It sounds weird, but he's one of my only friends. I guess it's cause we had similar lives growing up, and his shadow day report is due in two days. He can't make it up." She grinned at the blond boy. "Besides, this'll make for one hell of a report."

Sarutobi nodded. He was the Hokage, and he could order Naruto to leave, but Anko was right. "Very well then. Be back here in half an hour."

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat against the wall in the basement, careful to avoid the ink marks that covered most of the flat surfaces in the room. The floor and walls and even part of the ceiling had been marked with seals and arrays, all radiating from a circle in the center of the room, where a nearly topless Anko sat, meditating in the lotus position. '_Wow, Anko-chan is really hot... WAIT! What am I saying? If she caught me looking she'd kill me.' _Naruto felt his face growing hotter, and turned his head, not wanting his friend to see his blush.

"I already saw you watching me undress, gaki." She turned her head and gave him a wicked grin. "Like anything you see?" she asked, pressing her ample cleavage together.

Naruto felt his already red face getting redder, and began to feel dizzy. Just before he passed out, an image of his friend Hinata flashed through his mind. _'Must have caught what she has. I'll have to get a check up.'_

Anko laughed, watching as the blonde boy slumped forward. Jiraiya walked in and grinned, having surmised what had happened.

"Hey, gaki, wake up. This is an important moment for your girlfriend." Naruto shot up, his face a mask of horror.

"Sh-She's NOT my GIRLFRIEND!" he screamed indignantly. Anko looked at him, her lips in a pout.

"Hey, gaki! Am I not good enough for you?" Naruto shook his head, then stuttered.

"Uh... umm... eh... well, it's... you'rewayolderthanmeandit'sjustalittleweird!" Anko smirked, a look she often reserved for the inmates her job required her to break. Naruto knew his time on earth was limited.

"When this is over, you're dead meat." Naruto shuddered, remembering stories of what she'd done to get information from prisoners.

At that moment, Jiraiya turned to the girl and grinned. It seemed a little lecherous, and it was. Part of his grin was because the final array was in place, and part was due to his imagining her without the flesh colored bra. He fought back a small trickle of blood. "Are you ready? This is it, and whatever happens, there's no going back."

Anko looked at him and smiled, her second genuine smile of the day. "I'm more than ready, Jiraiya-sama. Let's get this done."

Jiraiya told Naruto to sit in front of Anko, to give her something to focus on. The blonde did as he was told, his face turning a pale pink. He shook himself, and got into serious mode, ready to do his job no matter what. Jiraiya nodded then moved to stand behind the girl. He went through a complicated series of hand seals, almost a hundred, and then paused as a small mass of glowing white chakra gathered in his palm. Naruto noticed that he didn't call out a jutsu name or say anything for that matter. He simply placed his glowing palm over the Curse Seal on Anko's shoulder. The moment he touched her, the room erupted in a bright white light. Jiraiya felt his counter seals absorbing the different layers of his former teammate's work.

The white light lasted for about fifteen seconds but Anko continued to glow even after the room returned to normal. A small black snake was pulled out of her shoulder, from the point where Jiraiya's hand had been, by an invisible force. It was encased in a orb of glowing chakra, which was slowly compressing itself, shrinking smaller and smaller. With a burst of force, the small snake, a miniscule bit of Orochimaru's soul, was gone, and Anko stopped glowing. Jiraiya could only stare at what he saw.

There, lying unconscious in the center of the array, was a much younger Anko, her hand in the grip of an equally knocked out Naruto.


	2. Chapter 2 A New Place to Stay

**Author's Notes:** Wow. I never thought I'd get such an awesome reaction to this story. I got three reviews, but my hotmail inbox was flooded with notifications from all the people who added me or this story to a list or alert. Thanks for all the positivity, and remember, reviews are awesome. Since the turnout for the first chapter of this story was so amazing, I'm giving you chapter two early.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

"_words_" = whispered dialog

" **words" **= demon/summon dialog

'words' = thoughts

**'words' **= demon/summon thoughts

**==words== = **location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback- _= start of flashback

_-End- _= end of flashback

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**by Alistor**

**Chapter 2**

**== Konoha General Hospital ==**

Anko woke up with a start. She was lying in the hospital, that she could tell. The stark white ceiling and antiseptic smell were dead giveaways. "Crap... How'd I end up here?" she wondered aloud.

"Well, Anko, the answer to that is quite an... interesting story. Before we begin, what is the last thing you remember?" Anko jumped at the sound of the voice. It was familiar though, and after a moment, she recognized it.

"Sarutobi-sama, is that you?" He nodded, and Anko shook her head, wondering what had made him age so quickly. "The last thing I remember was being bitten by that traitor Orochimaru before he abandoned me, and the village. Is it true, was he doing experiments on people?"

The Sandaime sighed. It was worse then he thought. "Anko. When Orochimaru bit you, he placed what is called a Curse Seal on you. We had it removed, but it had some side effects."

Anko looked at with old man, her expression leery. "Side effects how? Am I a cripple or something?"

Sarutobi smiled. "No, nothing like that. Tell me, how old are you?"

"Twelve. Why are you wearing the Hokage robes and hat? I thought Namikaze-sama was the Hokage now."

The Hokage sighed again. "What I'm about to tell you is going to sound very strange, and it may even be hard to believe. Orochimaru left this village twelve years ago. The mark he placed on you was designed to give him control of your body, to make you his slave. You left the village several days later, chasing after him. We found you in a delirious state a few years after that, on a beach in Wave country. You kept babbling about Orochimaru leaving you because you weren't strong enough. You were fifteen at the time we found you.

"That's when Jiraiya began his research on breaking the Curse Seals that kept popping up all over the Elemental Nations. The Curse Seal you bore was the most complex of them all, the Curse Seal of Heaven. Six days ago, we finally broke it, the last of the Curse Seals. This was one of the side effects. After removing the tainted Seal from your body, it seems that the complex array of seals that were used to counter my former student's work caused your body to revert to the state it was in when you first received the mark. Is this making any sense to you?"

Anko sat in her bed, her mouth making a good impersonation of a fish. After a few moments, her anger set in. "Wait, so you're telling me that I'm really twenty-four years old, and I'm living in the body of a FUCKING twelve year old? What the HELL?" The Sandaime shook his head.

"That's where you're wrong. You're not twenty-four. As demonstrated by the lack of memories of anything that happened after the Curse Seal was applied, you are in every essence a twelve year old again. It's as if the last twelve years never even happened.

"As to why I'm wearing the Hokage's robes and hat, well, two days after Orochimaru left, the village was attacked by the Kyūbi, and the Yondaime gave his life to kill the beast. Instead of scrambling to find a new Hokage, I took up the mantle again, as it had only been a few months since I gave it up."

Anko sat there, then glared at the man. "Prove it. Give me proof that things have changed that much."

The Sandaime laughed. "Very well. Write a message, anything you want, and I'll send it to your Genin teammates. Iruka and Kurenai, right?"

Anko nodded, and began to hastily scribble out a pair of messages. She handed them to the waiting ANBU and watched as he left. Satisfied, she sat back in bed. She felt a tickle at the back of her mind, like she was forgetting something. "Sarutobi-sama, who is Naruto?"

**== Ichiraku Ramen ==**

Iruka sat with Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen, the blonde boy's favorite restaurant. It had been a few weeks since Iruka had had the time to hang out with the boy he saw as a younger brother, and he was trying to make up for it. They sat and discussed the weather, and the various pranks Naruto had pulled the two weeks Iruka was sick with laryngitis, a consequence of yelling at Naruto and Kiba during class.

Iruka was on his second bowl of ramen when an ANBU officer approached him and wordlessly handed him a scroll before vanishing in a whirlwind of dust and leaves. Iruka opened the scroll ans read the contents. "Naruto, I'm sorry, but I have to go. One of my old teammates is in the hospital and is having trouble remembering things. My other teammate and I have been called in to help fill in some holes."

Naruto nodded, and finished off his twelfth bowl. "It's ok, we can go together. I'm on my way to visit a friend." Iruka nodded, then paid for their meals.

**== Konoha General Hospital, Several Hours Later ==**

Naruto looked at the Hokage, then back to the purple haired girl sitting on the hospital bed. Then he looked at the Hokage again. After several sweeps, he finally regained his voice. "So, basically, the counter seal thingy that ero-sennin used got rid of the Curse Seal, but caused Anko-chan's body to go back to the age she was when she got the seal thingy from the ero-hebi bastard in the first place. She has no memories of anything from the past twelve years except for me, and there's no explanation for why she remembers me, except that ero-sennin had her focus on me during the seal removal, which caused her memories of me to be pulled to the front of her mind and somehow remain preserved. Am I right?" he asked, his mind going over what had happened when he walked into the room almost an hour before.

_- Flashback -_

_Naruto opened the door to Anko's room, after waiting nearly an hour to find out what her room number was. Iruka-sensei had already gone ahead and been back as he left. Naruto sighed. He didn't like the way he was treated, but there was little he could about it. Shaking his head to clear it of the depressing thoughts, he stepped inside, only to be grabbed by a flying purple creature. He tried to scream, but the large mass had latched itself around his neck and was refusing to let go._

_"Naruto-kun. I'm so glad you're here. I remembered you when I woke up, but that's pretty much it," A muffled voice said. Naruto stiffened for a second, until the smell of trees and snakes wafted into his nostrils. Anko._

_Naruto managed to pry the woman off of his neck, then realized she was way too weak to be Anko, if he could pull her off of him that easily. "Hey, um... who're you?" The purple haired girl stood there, dumbfounded, then turned to the other occupant in the room, her eyes full of worry and pain. The Sandaime looked at Naruto and smiled._

_"We have much to discuss, Naruto. Have a seat."_

_- End -_

Sarutobi nodded at the blonde boy. "Well, in a nutshell, yes." Naruto mimicked the motion, a simple acknowledgment that he understood. "There's something else. Anko was trained by Orochimaru, but it seems that she only has memories of some of her most basic techniques. She'll be joining the academy as a student starting tomorrow, in order to bolster her knowledge with our current curriculum. I want you to keep an eye out for her."

"Wait, why me? I'm no one special. Hell, according to the teachers, I'm a shoo-in for dobe this year." Naruto looked down as he finished, a speck of dirt suddenly becoming quite interesting. The Sandaime scowled. He'd often suspected the teachers of sabotaging the boy's education, and at this late stage there was little he could do. Sighing, the old man started to talk, but was cut off by the young girl.

"Naruto-kun, I don't want to be a burden. Don't worry about me." Naruto looked at the girl, and grinned.

"What are you saying? I never said no. I just asked why. Why would anyone want to hang out with me? I'm a nobody," the young man said, his eyes focused on the girl in the bed.

Anko looked at him and smiled. "I remember little bits of things, all of them about you. I may not know much else, but I know for a fact that you're my friend, or at least you were before this happened." A mischievous grin appeared on the girl's face. "Wait... don't tell me you have a thing for older women, and I'm not as appealing anymore? I'm still the same Anko, just more... age appropriate," she said, in a seductive voice, before slowly running her tongue across her bottom lip.

Naruto felt all the blood in his body rush to his face at the sight, turning him redder than a ripe tomato. He babbled a minute, spouting incoherent nonsense, before he slowly sank to he ground, a smile on his face. Anko just looked at him, then grinned. "Heh... never pegged him for a closet pervert."

**== Konoha Ninja Academy ==**

Naruto waited outside the academy gates for Anko, wondering if she would be on time. The blonde had actually gotten out of bed when his alarm clock rang, and made sure to be waiting for her. When he saw her walking towards him, he felt the corners of his mouth turn up, mere moments from a full blown grin. She was wearing a smaller version of her normal outfit, with a few changes. Her skirt was slightly longer, and the mesh underclothes had been replaced with a pair of black spandex shorts and a purple tank top that was stretched over her breasts. '_Her family must develop early.'_ Overall, the effect was as expected. Naruto felt himself getting red, and forced himself to look away. _' Breathe... Breathe, dammit! It's just Anko-chan! She's the same person... well, kinda. Now she's younger and might be a little less crazy.'_

Anko noticed the effect she had on the boy. Normally she would have laughed, but she was in a bad mood. She woke up to find an eviction notice taped to her apartment door, and her heat turned off. She'd have to talk to the Hokage after classes to find a place to stay. She nodded to Naruto, who smiled and grabbed her hand, leading her to the classroom.

-=0000000=-

Iruka looked at his class. This wasn't going to be easy. "Class, we have a new student here today. Her name is Anko Mitarashi," he said, indicating the girl next to him. "Before you ask questions, Anko has asked that she be allowed to tell you about herself."

"Listen up, you maggots, cause I ain't repeating my self. My name is Anko, I like dango, and I'm a twelve year old girl again because a freaking hickey that I had for twelve years was finally removed and one of the side effects was my body and memories reverting to the point they were at when I was given the freaking mark in the first place." She drew a deep breath and smirked. "Any questions?"

No one else had questions, or if they did, they weren't willing to ask them in front of the teacher. Anko walked up the aisle and sat down next to Naruto, leaning her head on his arm. This drew more than a few confused glances from the class, and Naruto felt himself growing red. '_I really need to get that check-up._'

-=0000000=-

At lunch, Naruto and Anko sat under one of the large trees in the schoolyard, eating and talking. Sakura watched them, wondering why she was even bothering with the dobe. She decided to help the girl out, even if she didn't have a snowball's chance with Sasuke.

"Anko-san! Anko-san! Why are you sitting over here? Sasuke-kun is over there, by the throwing targets!" She was pointing to a large group of girls sitting around a group of wooden logs stuck in he ground.

Anko looked up to see a pink haired girl running over to her, waving her arms frantically. "Naruto-kun, who's the bubblegum head?" Naruto looked up and looked down again, smile fading.

"Sakura-chan. I thought I really liked her, but she always turns me down, usually with a punch to my head, or sometimes a kick. I don't really like her all that much though anymore." Anko nodded, and stood up when Sakura got to their spot under the tree.

"Anko-san, Sasuke-kun is getting ready to practice throwing his kunai! We all watch him at lunch cause he's so dreamy... wanna join us?"

Anko looked at the group of girls and shook her head. "No, thanks. I'd rather sit here with Naruto-kun. I'm not really attracted to emo pretty boys anyways."

Sakura was confused. "Why would you want to spend time with the dobe? Sasuke-kun is the top of the class, and a shoo-in for 'rookie of the year'. Naruto is just a worthless loser with no real value."

Anko stood up and glared directly at the pinkette. "If I ever hear you speak about Naruto-kun like that again, I will personally deliver your remains to your mother, in a FUCKING matchbox!"

Sakura stepped back, then realized that a crowd was gathering around her and the new girl. It seemed to bolster her resolve. It was also her undoing. "Hmph! I guess losers really need to stick together. Only reason someone would want to hang out with Naruto, right?" Anko bristled, as several people in the crowd cheered.

"Hey, forehead," Anko said, noticing the girl's abnormally large facial feature. "I'm gonna give you three seconds to apologize to Naruto and me. If you don't, then I'm gonna beat your ass." Anko held up her index finger, and said a single word. "One."

Sakura simply stared at the girl, and scoffed. "As if I'd ever apologize to that idiot, or his whore."

Anko looked at the girl and grinned. Everyone noticed that her fangs were longer and sharper then a normal person's would be. "I guess you forgot what I said earlier, huh? I hope you told your mom you love her before you left this morning."

Anko leaped forward, lashing out with a short jab that caught Sakura in the stomach. Sakura doubled over from the strength behind the blow, and vomit spewed from her throat, a small testament to the power behind the attack. Anko dashed forward and shoved the girl, knocking her to her back. She stepped into the downed girls range of sight, then bent low and looked her in the eye.

"I'm gonna let you of easy this time, but remember this. I've been training to be a kunoichi since I was five. I take this very seriously, and I don't have time for things like fawning over some pretty boy who gets everything he wants just cause his family is dead. Big deal. Mine's dead, and Naruto never knew his. Why does the guy with a duck's ass for a haircut get special treatment?" Several gasps were heard throughout the crowd.

Anko stood up, and suddenly felt herself rocketing towards the tree. She braced for impact, but it never came. Instead she felt a soft body behind her.

"Anko-chan, I've got you," Naruto said, setting the girl down gently. He turned and glared at the raven haired boy that had attacked his friend like a coward.

"Hmph. I guess you can add coward to your list of accomplishments, huh, Sasuke-teme?" Sasuke looked at the blond and smirked. Naruto started to charge the boy when he felt a hand grab his pants leg.

"Naruto-kun, let it go. He's not worth the time." Naruto shrugged, and sat back down, intent on finishing his lunch with his friend. Sasuke walked over to him.

"Fight me, dobe."

Naruto looked up. "Hn? You say something?" Sasuke felt his hands clench involuntarily.

"I said fight me. You scared or something?" Naruto looked at Sasuke and grinned.

"Nope, just hungry. Can we fight another time? I'm kinda busy, you know, eating and all," Naruto said, taking up his chopsticks and digging into his fourth cup ramen. Sasuke stood there for a moment, watching as the blonde shoveled down the noodles, then turned and stalked away with a grunt.

-=0000000=-

Anko waited outside the academy gates, then grabbed Naruto's hand and started dragging him towards the Hokage's tower. When he managed to free his hand, he asked her what the rush was. Anko just looked at him, then held up a piece of paper. "I got evicted this morning. I was out in the hospital for a while and my rent didn't get paid." She sighed, then shook her head. "I need to talk to the Hokage about finding someplace cheaper anyways. Without the money from those higher class missions, I doubt I could afford the place I was staying at anyways. It was pretty high-end." Naruto nodded, then smiled.

"Well, let's go then. I've got 24-hour access to the Hokage, so we can go there right now." Naruto looked at the purple-haired girl and grinned. Then he tapped her shoulder, and ran off, yelling. "You're it!"

Anko sat there for a second, then smirked. She began running after her friend, laughing.

-=0000000=-

The Sandaime sat in his tower, his crystal ball active, watching the two children who were so much alike. He knew about the eviction notice and was upset, but there was nothing he could do. Apparently the landlord had already rented out the place, to fill it as soon as the girl was gone.

When his office doors burst open, Sarutobi was smiling, sitting behind his desk. "Anko, Naruto, what brings you here?" The two students were gasping for air, having run from the academy, across the village, to his office.

Anko caught her breath first, and smiled. "Hokage-sama, I need a place to stay. I was evicted this morning, and I doubt I could afford the apartment I was in without the increased pay I was getting before anyways. I was wondering if you knew about any single bedroom apartments that were open?"

The Hokage shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't. I know there's a rather nice two bedroom available near the academy, but it's out of your price range." Naruto had been thinking about his friends situation for a while and had come up with a brilliant idea.

"What if she had a roommate? I've been wanting to get out of my apartment for a while now, and if Anko doesn't mind doing the shopping, I think my stipend and pay from being a messenger will cover the difference." Sarutobi smiled, then frowned.

"It's a good idea, but why would Anko have to do the shopping?"

Naruto lowered his eyes to the ground, and started mumbling. "Um... well, ya see..." He took a deep breath and raised his head. "The villagers hate me cause of the Fox. I know they do. I get price gouged, and a lot of the shops just refuse to give me service. I thought about filing a complaint, but I remembered someone saying they had the right to do that... to refuse service to me, or anyone."

Sarutobi looked at the boy. "Naruto, how much would you normally pay for a standard set of kunai?"

"For a practice set, 2000 ryu, for a battle set, 2500. How much should I be paying?"

The Hokage snarled. "A lot less." Sighing, the Sandaime let his head rest in his hands. "Dammit. Even though I tried to make your life easier, I only succeeded in making it harder for you. I'm sorry Naruto." Naruto looked at the man and smiled, a genuine smile.

"Jii-san. It's not your fault. It's that damn fox. You tried to protect me, and I appreciate it." Naruto walked over to the man and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. "You're pretty much the only family I have. I could never be mad at you or hate you." The Sandaime wrapped his arms around the boy and smiled. _'Naruto, you will grow to be a fine Hokage someday.'_

Hiruzan let the boy go, and returned to the large leather chair behind his desk. "So, Anko, do you want to be roommates with Naruto? With his monthly allowance and your stipend we talked about in the hospital, you'll be able to afford this new place with more than enough left over to be comfortable."

Anko sat there for a minute. She's already made up her mind, and was just making Naruto sweat. Finally she spoke up. "Hokage-sama, I guess it's ok. I mean we've lived together before, and it wasn't so bad," she said, recalling his week as her guest when his apartment was burned down. "I can just stay with Naruto-kun until we can move in."

Naruto leaped out of his seat and pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah! I finally got out of that rat's nest I was living in. Isn't this great, Anko-chan?" She nodded, happy that he liked the idea.

The Sandaime just smiled.

**== Somewhere in Rice Country ==**

A lone figure sat atop a dais, his eyes flickering in the candle light. He sighed in frustration, his anger simmering just below the surface. Six days ago, he felt the connection to his puppet fail, and nothing he did could re-establish it. '_It seems my unknowing agent in Konoha has died. It seems it's only fitting I find a new puppet to play with, kukukuku.'_

The man snapped his fingers and a figure appeared. "Bring me the files on the current Konoha Genin, and any academy students of interest. It's time to prepare for a new host, and I want one with... potential._"_

The second figure nodded, and clapped a fist to his chest before vanishing in a swirl of dust.

_'Kukukuku, Sarutobi-sensei. I'll be back soon, and I will get my revenge.'_

**Author's End Notes: OK, from now on expect a weekly update, probably on a Saturday. I will do my best to finish Chapter Three by the thirteenth, but that would be a bonus. If not, then assume the weekly update schedule to begin on the twentieth. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3 Team Assignments

**Author's Notes**: Chapter 3 is here, and it's time for me to answer some reviews.

**ErikArden:** In Chapter 1, Naruto is sitting in the hall outside the Hokage's office. He is thinking about the fact that he is treated unfairly because of the fox, then begins to remember the night he learned he was a jinchūriki. Anko remembers the fox because she's a Tokujō before the age reversal, and anyone Chūnin and above knows the truth behind the fox. The reason she remembers this information is because it directly involves Naruto, and was preserved along with the memories of their friendship.

**Darksnider05: **Don't forget that this is an Alternate Universe/Timeline. Naruto isn't the complete idiot everyone thinks he is, but he's got horrible grades due to educational sabotage. Anko's little bit of tutoring showed that he's smart. He's not hiding some super genius behind his mask, of if you want, his façade. He's hiding emotional turmoil. Sasuke's attitude will be explained later, as his circumstances are much different than in other stories. Sakura isn't being bashed, either. Her attitude right now is a direct correlation to Sasuke, seeing as she tries to impress him in any way. She actually plays an extremely important role later on in the story.

**To everyone else who reviewed:** Thanks for the encouragement. I picked out ErikArden's review because it helped me clarify a point I had missed in the story, and Darksnider05's because it let me put out a little BtS info on some of the characters. BtS, by the way, is Behind the Scenes.. This is not an affront against the rest of you, as every review I get is like a blessing, even the negative ones. They let me know what my audience likes and dislikes. So with that, keep the reviews coming, and on to the next chapter.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 3**

**== Konoha Ninja Academy ==**

For Naruto and Anko, the next month passed quickly. The new apartment was nicely furnished, and had many amenities that Naruto had never experienced. There were two bedrooms, a full sized kitchen and a dining room. The bathroom was the best part, in his opinion. Not only did it have a bathtub that three people could sit in, it had these strange nozzles that sent jets of water into the tub. Anko had called it a jacuzzi. Naruto was in heaven.

Naruto's last month at the academy was more bearable than it was before. Anko quickly rose to take the spot of number one kunoichi, while Naruto had steadily moved up in the class ranks thanks to his roommate's constant reminders that a Hokage wasn't only strong, but smart as well. Now instead of being the dead last, he was hovering around the mid-teens as far as class ranks went.

Naruto sat nervously, wondering what the graduation exam was going to be. He'd finally mastered the bunshin after Anko asked Hinata to watch Naruto's chakra while he practiced. Hinata discovered that Naruto was pumping too much chakra into the technique.

_- Flashback -_

"_Naruto-kun, why are you pushing so much chakra into a simple bunshin? Didn't the instructors show you how to mold the right amount?"_

_Naruto put his hand on the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Umm, nope. I was just told the signs and then sent off to practice. No one said anything about a certain amount."_

_Anko growled, muttering something about inept teachers and castration. Naruto tuned her out, not wanting nightmares again. Composing herself, Anko showed him how to feel for the right amount of chakra. Naruto attempted to feel out the proper level, and noticed what could be called a slight tugging at the back of his mind. After a few more attempts at the bunshin after learning how to mold the chakra and the proper amount to use, Naruto was able to create three perfect clones with ease. His control was just strong enough for that. If he attempted to make any more than that, those sick, half-dead things he was famous for were the result._

_- End -_

Iruka finally entered the room, his eyes scanning the room to see who was present and who was not. When he reached his desk, he called for attention. The class slowly quieted down, and all eyes focused on the scarred man at the front of the room. "Class, today is one of the most important days of your lives. In a few hours many of you will be joining the ranks of Konoha's Shinobi Corps. In order for that to become a reality, you need to pass this graduation exam. It involves a written test, a weapons test, and a practical skills evaluation."

Many students groaned, knowing a poor score in the written portion could overshadow the rest of the test. Anko smirked, and Naruto just grinned his usual grin.

Iruka and his assistant, Mizuki began passing out test papers. Mizuki smiled at the class. "In order to deter cheating, everyone is being given a random test. Iruka-sensei and I know who has what test, and it'll be obvious if someone cheats. You may begin now."

Everyone flipped their tests and began writing furiously, hoping to finish and get it out of he way. Naruto looked at his paper and became flustered. _'I don't remember covering some of this stuff. Oh, man... what am I gonna do?'_

-=0000000=-

Mizuki looked out on the class. He smirked as the demon brat struggled with the test he'd been given, one that would be nearly impossible for him to finish. After an hour, time was called, and Mizuki collected the papers. As expected Naruto only answered the questions that he had a chance of knowing the answer to. Mizuki gathered a small bit of chakra and dispelled the genjutsu over his paper, returning it to it's normal form. As Mizuki graded the papers, Iruka ushered everyone outside for the weapons test.

-=0000000=-

Naruto walked back into the classroom, feeling confident. His weapons test had gone well, having placed in the top ten with both kunai and shuriken. All that was left was the practical skills evaluation. Naruto sat back, waiting for his turn. As his classmates filed into the back room one by one, Naruto felt himself getting apprehensive. His name finally came. After taking several deep breaths, Naruto steeled himself and walked down the aisle to the examination room.

-=0000000=-

Mizuki stood at the doorway to the examination room. He had been there all day, giving every student a reassuring pat on the back as they entered. No one suspected that he had a purpose in every action he had taken. When Naruto was finally called, he smirked to himself, and once again gave his student a reassuring pat on the back as he entered the room. No one noticed the miniscule square of paper that Mizuki slipped under the folded collar of the boy's orange jumpsuit.

Mizuki grinned to himself. No matter how much extra training the boy had had, he wouldn't be able to create the bunshin, one of the graduation requirements. Mizuki sat behind the table, and began to administer the test. He decided to prolong the façade a little longer, to give the boy hope.

"Naruto, perform a kawarimi with one of the training dummies before you are struck by my kunai." Naruto did as he was told, even allowing the illusion to last longer after the dummy was hit. Iruka was impressed, and made a note n his clipboard.

Mizuki mentally sneered. _'Damn brat thinks he's gonna pass. Fucking demon has no right being alive, let alone being a shinobi.'_ "Naruto, please use henge to transform into one of your classmates."

Naruto made the appropriate hand seals, and transformed into his classmate Kiba Inuzuka, complete with a small puppy on his head. After his teachers took their notes, Naruto let the illusion dispel.

"Naruto, for the last practical evaluation, please make two bunshin." Mizuki began laughing maniacally to himself, as he formed a one handed seal while his hand was in his pocket. The scrap of paper activated, a chakra absorbing seal inscribed on it. It was so small, it would be hard to notice, especially with the huge chakra reserves that the demon brat had already demonstrated.

Naruto began to gather his chakra, carefully molding it to his desired shape. When he felt like he had the right amount, he called out the name of the jutsu and released the built up chakra. There was a large puff of smoke, and a sickly, near-dead copy of Naruto was sitting on the ground, it's tongue lolling out of it's mouth. Mizuki crowed in his head, seeing the tag work. Naruto never knew that the tag had absorbed the jutsu's chakra as it left his body, instead of it being used to create his clones.

Anko sat in her seat, waiting patiently for her blonde friend to come out of the exam room, anxious to see him in his hitai-ate. When the door finally opened, all she saw was a blonde blur hurry out of the building. She got up to follow him, but was told to sit down for an announcement about team placement. _"Naruto-kun, what happened..."_ she whispered, looking at the door where she had last seen her best friend.

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat on the tree swing outside the school. While everyone else in his class had passed, he'd somehow fouled up his bunshin and failed. _'It's not fair... I know I can do bunshin, I know I can!'_ He dropped his gaze to the patch of dirt under his feet._'Oh what does it matter... At least Anko-chan passed. Tied with the teme for Rookie of the Year.' _He smiled weakly, happy that his friend had passed her exam with such high marks. Naruto was so caught up in his own little world, he didn't notice Mizuki standing behind him.

"Naruto... I know you're upset. That's why I'm going to give you a second chance." Naruto listened raptly as Mizuki outlined the details of the make-up exam.

-=0000000=-

Anko slowly trailed her best friend, trying to figure out what he was up to. She'd seen him talking to Mizuki-sensei outside the school after graduation, and saw his face light up like it was Christmas morning. Naruto's grin was so wide, he didn't notice the evil smirk that flashed across Mizuki-sensei's face. She'd gotten a bad feeling then and it turned out to be right.

Anko watched as Naruto climbed down the side of the Hokage's tower, a large bundle slung over his back. The moment his feet touched the ground, he took off, running through the town. Anko guessed he was heading to the forest near the outskirts of town. She fell into step behind him, keeping a safe distance, knowing that the boy's fox-enhanced senses were more than enough to tell him he was being followed.

After running for almost an hour, Anko finally caught a break. Naruto had stopped in a clearing, and was opening the bundle slung across his back. Anko nearly gasped aloud when she recognized the object. It was a giant scroll, and the unique colors meant only one thing. _'Why did that baka steal the Forbidden Scroll? Is he trying to get a life sentence?'_ The violette girl decided to confront her friend, hoping to find a way to get him out of this situation.

"Naruto-kun! What were you thinking, stealing the Forbidden Scroll? You could end up in prison, or worse!"

Naruto looked up, surprised. "Why are you here? Mizuki-sensei said I had to finish this make up test without any help. If he sees you here, he'll think I cheated! Then I'll never be a ninja, Anko-chan! You need to go!" Anko shook her head.

"No way! I'm not gonna let you go to prison," she said, dropping to the ground beside the blonde boy.

They had been there in the clearing for a few hours,when Iruka appeared in the clearing. Naruto was lying on his back, exhausted from the training he had just completed. Iruka walked over to him, and got in his face. "Naruto, you baka! Why would you steal such a dangerous artifact? It's one thing to pull pranks, but this... this is going too far! And you Anko, why are you here? Did you help him? I thought better of you!"

Naruto looked Iruka and was confused. "Mizuki-sensei told me if I could get the scroll and learn a single jutsu from it, I'd be able to graduate. Did he ask you to evaluate me instead? Just you watch, this is gonna be awesome." Iruka suddenly went still.

"Mizuki told you to come here?" Naruto simply nodded. Iruka pulled a kunai out of his hip holster, spun around, and leaped in front of the two children. There was a sickening squelch as several kunai lodged themselves deep in Iruka's gut and limbs. Iruka fell to the ground, landing hard. Struggling, he turned to his students. "Run... quick."

As Naruto and Anko jumped to their feet, a hail of kunai, shuriken and senbon came hurtling toward them, thudding into the trees. They watched as Mizuki stepped out of the shadows. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the demon brat, and the snake whore. Give me the scroll."

Naruto grabbed Anko and took off, dodging through trees and weaving under and over low-hanging limbs. Mizuki scowled as he was forced to give chase. He cursed loudly, then set off through the trees. He followed the two till they entered a second clearing, one with an old maintenance shed near the edge. Mizuki used henge to transform into Iruka, and walked into the clearing. "Naruto, Give me the scroll! I've got to get it back to the Hokage!" Naruto looked up at the teacher, relief in his eyes. He made a move toward the man, but was stopped by Anko.

"It's not him, it's Mizuki! Look, His scar is the wrong color!" Naruto looked up as the henge dropped.

"Damn... that stupid scar. I forgot it's not fresh and red still." Mizuki smirked, an expression that was full of evil. "Give me the scroll, and I'll kill you quick."

Naruto stepped back and scowled. "Like hell I will. I'll never help a teme like you." His voiced saddened. "I should'a known it was too good to be true," the blonde said as tears began to well up in his eyes.

Mizuki pulled a kunai from the holster on his leg. "Save your tears demon! No one cares and no one EVER will! I'm doing you a favor, ending your miserable existence here. You know why they hate you right? Do you know why? It's because YOU are the Kyūbi that attacked our village all those years ago. It's sealed in YOUR stomach! That's why you die here, tonight." Mizuki smirked, then said the worst thing in the world he could have said. "But first, I'm gonna get rid of this snake whore. She's dangerous to have around too." Mizuki whipped the kunai at the girl, catching her in the leg. Her scream at the sudden pain was more than Naruto could take.

Naruto felt himself give in to rage. He stepped in front of Anko, looking at the ground. "Mizuki-teme, I've known about the fox since I was five. So what was that whole dramatic thing, telling me the truth about why people hate me? A waste of AIR, that's what!" Naruto took a deep breath, then looked up, his eyes colder than glacial ice. "And I'm not alone. Anko-chan cares about me. She's my FRIEND! If you come near her, **I'll rip you to shreds with my bare hands." **

Mizuki laughed, his face twisting into an evil grin. "You really are stupid. I'm an elite Chūnin, and you aren't even a Genin! There's no contest. I'll kill you with one shot."

Naruto raised his hands, placing them in a cross shaped seal in front of him. "I'll take whatever you got and give it back a thousand times over."

Mizuki began laughing maniacally. "Go ahead then, demon. Show me this power of yours!"

Naruto flashed a foxy grin. "Don't say I didn't warn ya. '**Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**'!" In seconds the clearing was filled with hundreds of copies of Naruto, each with a solid body. Anko sat stunned, and Iruka could only smile.

Mizuki felt himself shrinking. How had the demon created so many clones? He'd had so much trouble making them before. He felt his sanity slipping away, when the demon's voice floated through the clearing, an eerie effect created by the hundreds of clones speaking at once. "Mizuki-sensei, I thought you were gonna kill me with one shot. What happened? Did you underestimate the demon brat? Fine. I'll start this." At the same instant hundreds of Narutos leaped onto the ill-prepared Chūnin.

Mizuki's screams filled the night air, joined by the howls of several dogs.

**== Hokage's Office ==**

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office, watching the beating that Naruto gave the traitor through his Tōmegane no Jutsu. He signaled one of his guards to send a message to the other shinobi on the search for the scroll, telling them that it had been found and that the true perpetrator was incapacitated. _'Naruto... couldn't execute a Bunshin to save your life, but you completely decimated a traitor with nearly five hundred Kage Bunshin.' _He smiled as Naruto danced about the clearing, wearing Iruka's hitai-ate. _'Truly you are Konoha's most surprising ninja.'_

**== Konoha General Hospital, One Hour Later ==**

Naruto sat with Anko as her leg was healed by a med-nin. It was actually a pretty shallow cut, but it hurt like hell, and the walk home was long and arduous due to her muscles being tender. Naruto offered to carry her, but Anko shook her head.

"No way. I'm able to walk just fine. Besides, that med-nin said that the best rehab for this kind of wound is to walk it off, literally." Naruto just nodded his head, and walked next to his friend.

"Hey, Anko. We gotta go out to team placement at 10 AM right? Wanna go shopping with me tomorrow? I kinda wanna get out of this outfit." Anko looked at him, and grinned.

"Got any specific styles in mind?" Naruto simply grinned his trademark fox grin and laughed.

"Maybe."

**== Konoha Ninja Academy ==**

Naruto and Anko walked into their classroom. Anko was wearing her usual attire, this time with a black tank top with a purple design along the lower hem. She headed back to her normal seat in the back of the classroom, Naruto following closely behind. As he walked by, many of the students did a double take, not immediately recognizing the boy. He no longer wore his orange jumpsuit, having burned it the moment he got his new outfit. In it's place he wore a pair of olive cargo pants, a few shades darker than the standard flak jackets given to higher ranked shinobi. He also wore a hooded black vest, over a tight white shirt, which showcased his pecs and a hint of a six-pack. On his arms were a pair of bracers with a spiral engraved on the back of them. Black fingerless gloves and black sandals completed the look.

"Naruto? Bro, the new look is wild," Kiba commented. Naruto gave him a high five and grinned. His good mood was fouled when Sasuke commented.

"Why are you here, dobe? This room is reserved for people who actually passed their test yesterday." Naruto grinned.

"See this?" he asked, pointing to the metal plate hanging around his neck. "I did graduate. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it. Everyone was talking about it when I went out shopping this morning."

Sasuke looked at the blonde and smirked. "Why would anyone be talking about you passing your graduation exam?"

Shino spoke up, having listened to the entire exchange. "Naruto-san, as we all know, did not pass his academy graduation exam. He was promoted to the rank of Genin last night by the Hokage himself. It seems that our former instructor Mizuki was planning on becoming a missing-nin, and was hoping to take the forbidden scrolls with him. The rest is unclear, as it has been made a high ranking secret what the exact details of rest of the events are.

"From what I can surmise, through conversations with my father, Naruto-san was in the woods last night practicing his Bunshin technique with our classmate Anko-san. While there, he witnessed Mizuki attack and injure Iruka-sensei. Naruto-san attempted to protect Iruka-sensei and Anko-san, and was able to delay the traitor until ANBU arrived to finish the job."

"That's correct. Mizuki was a traitor, and for his act of bravery in defending the village's secrets, and his successful use of an advanced Bunshin no jutsu in the heat of battle, Hokage-sama passed Naruto personally." Everyone turned to see Iruka standing at the front of the room, bandages around his abdomen and chest, visible under the net shirt he was required to wear for his wound's treatment. Naruto just sat there, his hand on the back of his head, a grin plastered across his face.

"It was nothing really. I only jumped in when Mizuki attacked Anko-chan, though. After that, I just lost it." Sasuke looked at the blonde and sneered.

"Whatever. If you fought a Chūnin like Mizuki, how is it you aren't hurt?" Naruto just shrugged.

"Meh, I've always been a fast healer. I never knew who my family was. I just assumed that my fast healing was a kekkei genkai or something." Before Sasuke could rebut, Iruka began a speech about how much he was going to miss each of his students, and that they were all taking their first step to the life of a shinobi.

"Now, for team assignments. With the addition of Naruto passing, we have a total of twenty-eight graduates, Normally the odd man out would be required to wait until the next cycle, but this year there are several extenuating circumstances that have changed this policy, if only temporarily." Iruka then began calling out the teams. Naruto only perked up when he heard his name being called.

"Team Seven will be Naruto Uzumaki, Anko Mitarashi, and Sakura Haruno. Your Jōnin instructor will be Hana Inuzuka." Naruto pumped his fist when he heard his team placement, but Sakura let her head slam into the table. Kiba looked at Iruka.

"Sensei, my sister's only a Chūnin. How is it she's a Jōnin instructor?" Iruka looked at the boy, then shook his head.

"Kiba, Hana had her Jōnin trial yesterday morning. Didn't you know?" Kiba shook his head, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Nah... I've been kinda busy the last few days. Haven't even been home for a bath since... last Thursday, I think. Just been bathing in the river out in the woods where me and Akamaru train." All the girls in the class looked at the dog-nin, and inched away. Shino turned to him.

"Kiba-san. That is disgusting. Please remove yourself from my immediate vicinity," he said in his matter-of-fact tone. Anyone who could hear his thoughts would have been shocked. '_Damn... I always thought the stench was from Akamaru. That's seriously rank, Kiba-baka.' _

Iruka tried to get everyone to calm down, but eventually had to resort to what was known as his big head jutsu, a yell so forceful that his head seemed to grow larger with every passing second it was used. Everyone instantly turned and quieted down. "Now, Team Eight will be Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. Your Jōnin is Kurenai Yūhi. Team 9 is still in circulation from last cycle, so Team 10 will be Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi. Your Jōnin instructor is Asuma Sarutobi." Ino shot up out of her chair. Her face was red, and what looked like fire was burning in her eyes.

"Why the hell am I on the lazy bastard and the bottomless pit's team? Why couldn't I be placed on Sasuke-kun's team?" Iruka sighed.

"The Hokage helped with the team placements. You and your teammates are to be trained as the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho squadron. As for Sasuke, he's not being placed on a team." Iruka's face grew dark, and the room suddenly burst into noise. How could the rookie of the year not be placed, but the dobe was?

"SHUT UP! As I was saying," Iruka continued, after everyone calmed down, "Sasuke is not being placed on a team. The council decided that he would be placed in an apprenticeship, instead of creating a team with two Genin from last cycle. Sasuke, your new sensei is Kakashi Hatake. That concludes Team Assignments, be here in an hour to meet your leaders." Sasuke could only smirk at he acknowledgment of his superiority.

Naruto looked at Anko, and the pair made their way over to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan. Wanna go get lunch with us?" Sakura looked at Naruto, slightly distracted by the tightness of his shirt. She quickly shook her self to clear the thoughts that were creeping into her head.

"Why would I want to be seen anywhere with you, Naruto? It's bad enough we're gonna be on the same team. Just do your job and leave me alone." Sakura then turned and stomped away. Naruto scratched his head and looked at Anko.

"Huh, well I guess that's a no then."

-=0000000=-

An hour later, every one had finally returned to the classroom. When they arrived, there were 10 of Konoha's strongest shinobi waiting there, along with Iruka-sensei. One by one, the new Genin teams filed out of the room. Team Seven's sensei was a beautiful woman with dark hair pulled into a tight ponytail. Two tendrils of those mahogany locks framed her face, which bore the red fang-like tattoos of the Inuzuka clan. "Team Seven, follow me to Training Ground Thirty-six." The three Genin stood up and filed out of the room, running to catch up to their sensei.

Fifteen minutes later, the trio stumbled into the designated training area. It was a serene place, with several large trees and a pond. Near the center of the field was a group of training logs set deep into the ground. Hana motioned for the trio to sit.

"I want each of you to tell me a little bit about your selves, things like likes, dislikes, goals and whatnot. Maybe your favorite jutsu." Sakura looked at the woman, studying her face. She didn't have the same ferociousness that the other Inuzuka had.

"Sensei, why don't you go first and show us?" the pinkette asked, looking at her teammates for approval. Hana shrugged her shoulders and started.

"Well, my name is Hana Inuzuka. I'm a new Jōnin, and I decided to get my teaching requirement done right away. That's where you come in. I enjoy studying new techniques, reading, my companions, and meatballs. Yes, meatballs. I dislike most felines, mainly cause they smell, and my brother, mainly because he's a complete idiot. My goal is to one day leave the Inuzuka compound and start my own pack, er, family. My favorite technique is probably... my medical jutsu. I can heal most battlefield wounds, and I worked a few rotations at the hospital." After taking a breath, Hana turned to the only guy on the team. "Naruto, I assume?"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, that's me. My likes are Anko-chan, ramen, and training. I dislike the three minutes I have to wait for ramen to cook. I also dislike stuck-up pricks who think they deserve the world cause of some freaky eye infection of a bloodline, and those people in this world who can't differentiate between a storage scroll, and the kunai inside. My goal is to one day become the Hokage, so I can protect the few people in this world I actually care about. My favorite jutsu is also my newest... **'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu'**. I can use the basic form and the Tajū form." Hana looked at the boy, and grinned.

"Can we have a demonstration, please?" Naruto jumped up, and back from the group. He made a single hand seal, and thirty clones shimmered into existence. Hana stood up and began walking through them, and felt her jaw drop. The boy hadn't lied, they were all solid clones. "Naruto, how many can you make?" she asked as the clones vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Dunno, never tried to find out. When I beat the snot out of Mizuki-teme, Iruka sensei said there were at least five-hundred." Naruto was confused at his sensei's look of amazement. "Hana-sensei, is something wrong?"

"No, Naruto. Nothing at all. Sakura?" The pinkette slowly raised her hand. "OK, you're next." Sakura looked around and sighed.

"My name is Sakura Haruno, I like... a certain boy." She began blushing furiously, then continued. "I dislike Naruto, cause he's an Idiot who keeps getting in my way when it comes to... a certain boy." She began to blush again, even harder it seemed. "My goal is to become a proficient kunoichi, and help a certain boy revive his clan." Everyone groaned as she turned a shade of red many had never seen before. Finally, after several deep breaths, she continued, again. "Well, I really only know one jutsu outside of the Academy jutsu we all know. **'Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu'**. It's a genjutsu I learned from a book I was reading. I tried others, but I wasn't able to get them working properly." Hana raised an eyebrow at this.

"Genjutsu, huh? I take it you've got decent chakra control?" Sakura faltered for a moment.

"Umm, I guess I do. I really don't know how to tell." Hana smiled.

"We'll go over that in training. Don't worry about it for now." Hana turned to face her last student. "Anko, it's your turn. Heh, I remember this mission I went on with you once..." Anko smiled.

"Well, my name is Anko Mitarashi. I like Naruto-kun, dango, ramen on occasion, and training. I dislike spicy food, and that ero-hebi bastard, Orochimaru. He's part of the reason I'm here today, though, so I guess I'll kill him quick, instead of torturing him to death..." Anko trailed off, muttering unintelligibly under her breath. Sakura coughed, and the purple-haired girl looked up with a start. "Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. Like I was saying. My goal is to become a member of ANBU Torture and Interrogations." Naruto shuddered, wondering if Anko's sadistic streak was natural. "As for my favorite jutsu, I really don't have any. After my Curse Seal was removed, I lost all memories of any training I had after it was applied. The things I learned before hand I still know, but it's even less then what the academy teaches now."

Naruto looked at his friend, then to his sensei, then back to his friend, then suddenly smacked himself in the head. "Anko-chan, you told me this one time that you held a snake contract. Is that still useable, or did that vanish too?" Hana looked up, grinning. She remembered Anko using snakes on the mission they had been on together.

"Anko, did you know that all summoning jutsu use the same hand seals? The summoned creature is bound to the blood sacrifice, and the contract you signed. Even though you went back to being twelve years old, your name is still on the contract!" Hana was more animated now, talking rapidly. "OK, I want you to cut your finger, or bite it or whatever. Then run through these hand seals: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram. Then slam your palm to the ground while pumping as much chakra as you can into your hand."

Anko stood up, and took a few steps back, wondering if this would work. She bit her thumb, then quickly ran through the appropriate signs. Anko felt her heart beating madly as she pumped as much chakra as she could into her palm, which was rapidly approaching the ground.

The moment her hand made contact, there was a loud bang, and the clearing filled with smoke. Naruto and Sakura stared in wonder, and Hana was jumping up and down like an excited child.

"**Who the hell summoned ME!" **a sibilant voice hissed. Anko could only cower in fear as a memory came rushing back to her. A memory of the demands of the boss snake.

**Glossary**

teme - bastard

dobe - dead-last

ero-hebi - perverted snake

Kage unshin no jutsu - shadow clone technique

Tajū Kage bunshin no jutsu - mass shadow clone technique

Magen: Narakumi no jutsu - demonic illusion: vision of hell technique


	4. Chapter 4 License Exam

**Author's Notes**: Not really much to say here. Interesting tidbit was revealed last chapter. Let's see how many of you actually noticed it.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 4**

**== Training Ground Thirty-six ==**

Anko felt her heart leap into her throat, the memory of the boss snake's ever constant demand popping into her head at the sound of the reptilian voice. **"I ask again. Who summoned me!" **As the smoke lifted, a large, violet serpent, was visible. It was clearly agitated, and was reared up, it's black and red mottled tongue flitting in and out of it's mouth at a random tempo. Anko steeled herself, hoping to gain some mercy from the creature, not sure if it was the monstrous Manda or not..

"I summoned you, great serpent. Please show mercy on us for not having your sacrifices ready." Anko could only gasp in fear as the the reptile darted forward and turned, staring her in the face with one of it's golden orbs.

-=0000000=-

Ibiki Morino was pissed. His best interrogator was back on active duty, and had failed to report in for more than a month. He'd gone to her home, but it was apparent she no longer lived there, judging by the green-haired woman that answered the door with a small child on her hip.

He made his way to the Hokage's Office, feeling sick that he had to list one of his closest friends, some one he actually considered a sister, as a missing-nin. The secretary outside the Hokage's office waved him in, knowing he was one of four people who had an all-access pass to the Hokage's office.

Ibiki opened the office door and stepped in. The Sandaime was sitting at his desk, filling out paperwork. At the sound of the door closing, the old man glanced up, taking note of who it was, then returned to his work. "Ibiki, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Ibiki cleared his throat, not wanting to say what he was about to say. "Hokage-sama, it has come to my attention that Anko Mitarashi has been returned to the active duty roster. I wanted to touch base with you and find out if she was maybe on an extended mission, or some other assignment." The Sandaime looked up, and shook his head.

"Hmm, not that I know. She's not on any mission that I can think of. Why does it concern you anyways? Anko has a new team now." Ibiki was confused. When was Anko given a team?

"My apologies, Hokage-sama. I wasn't aware that Anko had achieved Jōnin rank. I was worried she had come under the influence of her Curse Seal and left for Orochimaru again." The Hokage looked up, and blinked owlishly. _'What in the Elemental Countries is Ibiki talking about? Everyone knows that Anko no longer has... her Curse... Seal.' _Something clicked in the Hokage's mind.

"Ibiki, if I were to do an inspection of your office right now, would I find a pile of messages in your inbox dating back beyond the last month?" Ibiki looked at the Hokage, the old man's cold glare giving him a mild case of the creeps.

"Well, I've been busy, and never really had a chance to get to it." The Hokage sighed, and dropped the icy stare he knew had an effect on the most terrifying man in ANBU.

"Sit down, this may take a while. Tea?" Ibiki nodded, and Sarutobi called for a pot of tea to be brought up.

-=0000000=-

_**'How did this girl get the snake contract?**_**'** the serpent wondered, gauging her reactions. The creature flicked his tongue into the air around her, tasting her scent. It was faint, but the smell of the former contract holder was about her. **"Who are you girl, and why have you already compared me to that poison-less traitor, Manda?"** The girl looked the snake in the eye, relief flooding across her face.

"I'm Anko Mitarashi. I signed the snake contract many years ago. As for mistaking you for Manda, he is the only summon snake I've ever seen that has your distinct colorings." The snake looked the girl up and down, focusing on key features that would help it identify which summoner this was. When the snake saw her hair, it realized who it was.

"**Hmm. My name is Kyohaku. My mother, Kana, is the new First Fang of the Snakes, and I am her first-born daughter," **the serpent said, rising up so the three children and their mentor could see her full size. She was nearly one-hundred fifty feet long, and as thick as an ancient maple tree. Her scales were an iridescent violet that flashed several shades of purple and blue in the midday sun. After a moment, she settled back down and began again. **"Manda is no longer head of our clan, and Orochimaru no longer holds our contract. His privileges were revoked, nearly five years ago. Manda left with him, choosing to become a personal summon. We were planning on ejecting him as it was. Human sacrifice is an affront to the honor of our clan as summons. Manda's family decided to follow him, having developed a taste for human flesh as well." **Anko sighed, relief washing over her. She had been terrified that she had summoned the boss snake. Anko looked at her teammates, who were mesmerized by the massive creature in front of them.

Hana was the next to speak up. "Kyohaku-san, what rank summon are you? I know the boss summon is usually an A- or S- rank, but I'm not sure how a Genin like Anko has the chakra capacity to summon a creature of your size without collapsing from chakra exhaustion." The snake turned it's head and flicked her tongue out around Anko once again.

"**Did you know we snakes can taste chakra? That is why we were once contracted with a clan of tracker ninja. We can track by chakra in the air, much like your dogs track by scent, Inuzuka-san. Anko's chakra, while at the same level as anyone else her age, is... denser, or maybe thicker?"** Kyohaku shook her massive head, as if clearing away confusing thoughts. **"I'm not sure what the correct term is. All I know is that it is more potent than others, except maybe for the blonde over there," **she said, motioning with her tail. **"His chakra is so powerful I can taste it from here, and it has... two distinct flavors, for lack of a better term." **When the summon said this, three of the members of Team seven stiffened up considerably. Thankfully, Sakura was too busy still staring at the gigantic snake in front of her eyes. Kyohaku continued. **"As for your question, I would be considered a B-rank summon. I'm also the largest snake Anko might have the ability to summon for now. I can tell she's nearing empty."** Anko nodded, indicating the snake was right. Then she looked at the snake and smiled.

"Thank you, Kyohaku-san. Tell your mother, Kana-sama, that I am glad that an honorable member of your clan is First Fang. You can go now, if you wish," said, smiling at the large serpent. The snake nodded her head, and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Hana looked at the Genin sitting around her. They had some surprising abilities, and would make a fierce squadron, if she had any say. _'And I do,'_ she thought grinning evilly. The three Genin shivered, as if some one had just stepped across their graves.

Hana stood up, dismissing her team, with a reminder to meet in the morning for their licensing test.

**== Training ground 18 ==**

Kurenai sat with her new team, listening to their introductions. Her mind absorbed the information, but most of it was occupied with another issue. She'd been on a two-month long mission, and had arrived back in town less then a week ago. She hadn't seen Anko at all in that time, seeing her for the first time when she went to the academy to pick up her Genin squad.

It was strange, seeing her best friend as she was 12 years ago. She was younger, which sparked a twinge of jealousy in Kurenai's heart, but she also had almost none of the abilities she had before. Her teammates were nothing special either, except for the blonde, Naruto. Anko had been one of the few people who actually cared about the boy, and made it a point to look out for him when she could. Her thoughts drifted away as her last student finished his introduction. _'Anko, take this chance and cherish it. It's not everyday you get to go back and try again.'_

**== Naruto and Anko's Apartment ==**

Ibiki walked up the three flights of stairs to his former subordinate's new home. It was a mid range place, nice for a couple of kids fresh out of the academy. Finding the right door, Ibiki pounded on it, then stepped back and waited for a response.

The door creaked open, and a blonde kid stood there in a pair of black pajama pants. "Hey, Ibiki-san! Come in! What's going on?" Naruto stepped aside, allowing Ibiki to enter.

"Not much, Naruto. Just coming to check up on Anko. Is she home?" Naruto nodded, then pointed to the bathroom.

"She's been in there for almost an hour. Why the heck do chicks take so long in the bathroom anyways?"

Ibiki laughed. "I'm a master of the mind, second only to the Yamanakas, and even I don't understand the female thought process. Do you mind if I wait?" Naruto motioned to the couch, and walked into the kitchen.

"Want anything to drink? I got soda, milk, water, some kinda juice."

Ibiki shook his head no. "I'm good, unless you happen to have sake, maybe?" Naruto got a bottle out of the cupboard where Anko kept it, and handed it to the tall man.

"There are cups in the cabinet if you want one, or you can keep that. Anko bought about fifteen bottles the other day. Made a huge fuss at the market when she did."

Ibiki grinned, remembering hearing about that incident from a couple of ANBU. Apparently a purple haired Genin made a scene when the cashier at one of the markets refused to sell her sake. The Genin then made a speech about the village forgetting that a Genin is an adult, and able to do as an adult would. She then proceeded to tell the cashier that if she wanted to buy thirty bottles of sake, go home and get stone drunk, then fuck her roommate into a coma, she could, with no legal consequences. Now Ibiki had a name to the Genin. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Anko in the market.

Naruto walked to the end of the hallway, and hollered down to the bathroom. "Anko-chan! When you come out, make sure you're decent, ok? We got a guest here!" Anko walked out of the bathroom wearing a purple bathrobe.

"Who's here this late, gaki?"

"Ibiki-san is here. He said he wanted to talk to you about something." Anko walked to her room and got dressed, tossing her hair up in to her iconic peacock fan hairstyle. She walked into the living room, only to find that Ibiki was also older than she remembered. Even after a month of her new found youth it was strange seeing someone for the first time.

"Ibiki-san. It's been a long time." she looked him up and down, then laughed. "I guess you can really play older brother now, huh?" Ibiki looked at her and smile, a strange sight on the imposing, scarred face.

"Yeah, I guess I could. Listen Anko, I just came by to tell you that once you get back to Tokujō, you have a job waiting for you if you want it, and that I'm here if you need help with missing memories. Anko nodded, then gave the man a big hug.

"Thanks, Ibiki-kun, but I made a decision not too long ago. I'm gonna make new memories." Ibiki smiled, and the trio sat back on the couch, talking about random topics late into the evening.

**== Training Ground 36, the Next Day ==**

Naruto sat in the grass at his teams designated training ground. Anko was leaning against him, and snoring softly, working off a minor hangover.. Sakura was sitting on a fallen log, reading a book on different types of genjutsu. Naruto gently moved Anko off his shoulder, and made his way to his other teammates side. "Hey, Sakura-chan. I had a question." Sakura looked up at the blonde, annoyed at being interrupted.

"What do you want, Naruto-baka? Can't you see I'm busy?" Naruto looked her and grinned.

"Yeah, but I need your help. I was wondering if you could help me with my genjutsu. I'm terrible at it, and nothing I try seems to work. I figured, you know, you being super smart, you'd have some pointers." Sakura looked at the blonde, and smiled a bit at being called super smart.

Inner Sakura began ranting and raging. _**'What about Sasuke-kun, you hussy! Chaaa!' **_Sakura shook her head, knowing her inner voice was right. '_Naruto can't make me smile! I love Sasuke-kun!_'

"Why would I help a loser like you? Sasuke-kun wouldn't need my help. Just shows how much better he is than you." Naruto felt his face fall. Even though he had his doubts about his feelings toward the pink haired girl, he still had a small crush on her, and asked her out every now and then. She didn't hit him anymore, but that was probably out of fear of Anko.

"Well, even if Sasuke-teme was a civilian, he'd be better at genjutsu than any of us. His clan's Sharingan can see through them like glass. So I guess his skill level is a moot point with his 'advantages'," Anko said, having heard the tail end of the conversation. "As for Naruto-kun asking for help, I'd think that you'd be flattered that he thinks you're skilled enough to teach him about genjutsu."

Sakura looked at the purple haired girl, then at her blonde companion. "Oh... I'm... sorry, Naruto. I-I guess I could help, but I'm not very good." Naruto waved his hand, as if it was no problem.

"It doesn't matter. I'm terrible at genjutsu, and I need all the help I can get."

When Hana arrived at her teams' training ground, she was impressed to see that they were all there, and that they were in a heated discussion about the principles behind genjutsu and how it's applied in battle and out. Naruto had trouble understanding the technicalities of the art, until Anko took the time to put it in Naruto speak.

"Very good, pups. I'm proud of you. Not even licensed yet, and you're teaching each other and growing stronger," Hana said, stepping out of the trees. "Now, you passed the academy graduation exam, and technically, you are Genin, but you haven't passed your licensing exam yet." Naruto looked at his sensei, then sighed.

"Hana-sensei, what kind of test is it?" Hana looked at the boy and grinned, a smile that was so terrifying, Anko felt herself shivering. Hana pulled a small silver whistle and gave two short blasts. The two girls didn't react, but Naruto fell to the ground with his hands over his ears. Three gray wolf-like canines trotted into the clearing, tongues lolling out of their mouths. Naruto recovered and sat up, glaring at his teacher.

"AHHHH! Hana-sensei, give me some warning next time. I've got really sensitive ears." He glanced around, then noticed the three dogs sitting at his teachers feet. "Who're they and where'd they come from?"

Hana smiled. "As an Inuzuka, many of my techniques are centered around my canine companions. These are the Haimaru brothers. They haven't got names of their own, because they all think as an extension of each other. As for your test today, I'm giving you a variation of my licensing exam, the bell test." The dark haired woman reached into her weapons pouch and produced a small bottle filled with dark round pills. She shook out four of them, and gave one to each of her dogs, before eating the last one her self. Then she produced a set of bells and put them on her belt. "The goal is to get these bells of my waist before sunset."

Sakura spoke up. "Sensei, why so long?"

Hana began gathering chakra, then made a single hand seal that none of the Genin recognized. "**'Jūjin Bunshin!'**" There was a large puff of smoke, and suddenly, there were four copies of Hana standing in the clearing, each with a set of bells tied to their waist. "Because you'll need to find the real me first, then find a way to get the bells off my belt."

"If you can't get the bells by sunset, you go back to the academy. If someone gets a bell but another doesn't, the one without goes back."

Naruto looked at his two teammates, panic written across his features. Anko was smirking, and gave Naruto a look that said _'Don't sweat it.' _Sakura looked ready to faint. She was worried that Ino would win Sasuke's heart if she had to go back to the academy.

Hana looked at her Genin squad and laughed. She retrieved a small timer from her hip pouch, and placed it on top of one of the logs. "This is set for five minutes. When it goes off, I'll be hidden, and so will my clones. That is the official start of your test." Hana reached out, pressed a button on the mini-clock and vanished, along with her three clones.

Naruto walked up to Sakura and gave her a hug, inhaling her scent, a mixture of strawberries and cinnamon. Sakura looked at him like he was crazy, then wailed on him like a training post.

"Naruto-hentai! What are you doing, trying to cop a feel in the middle of an important test? Ero-baka! Get out of the gutter and focus on getting the bells! We need a strategy." Naruto rubbed his bruised face.

"I know! I was getting your scent, so I would know which was yours and which was sensei's." Sakura looked at him like he was stupid.

"LIAR! You're not an Inuzuka!" Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Obviously! I'm an Uzumaki. These whisker marks are more than a fashion statement. I've got this... affinity for foxes, and it gives me enhanced senses. You smell like cinnamon oatmeal and strawberry body wash. Anko-chan smells like snakes and dango. There are five other scents in the air, but only one is female." Sakura looked at him questioningly.

"How do you know one is female?" Naruto flashed a foxy grin.

"She has this scent that all females have. It actually smells pretty good, but it mixes with the other scents on the body, makes them... easier to identify, i guess. That's why I took your scent first. So I wouldn't get confused." Naruto smiled, and headed north, into the deeper part of the woods. At the edge, Naruto stopped, and waited for his female friends. Anko pulled Naruto to the ground.

"Hana-sensei is a Jōnin, even if she's new. We're not gonna be able to take her down without some sort of a plan." Sakura voiced her agreement, and Naruto simply nodded. The three Genin spent the better part of an hour formulating a fool proof plan.

-=0000000=-

Hana stood against a tree, slightly embarrassed. She'd vanished into the woods, found a nice high tree, and settled down for a nap. She figured her students would follow around one of her clones for a while, giving her a chance to rest up. The night before, there had been an emergency at her family's vet clinic and she'd been called in to help, and consequently got very little sleep. She never expected to be tied to said tree, with a large black snake wrapped around her mid-section. What she couldn't figure out was how they had found her so fast.

"So, I made a goof, but that's they way it works. I underestimated you guys. Mind telling me how you found me so fast?" Naruto looked at and flashed his standard grin.

"Well, like I told Sakura," he said, his voice inflecting Sakura slightly, "I've got this affinity for foxes, and it gives me enhanced senses." Hana remembered his reaction to the dog whistle, then it hit her. His sense of smell was probably enhanced as well.

"You tracked me by scent, huh? How'd ya know what scent was mine?"

Naruto explained that while she and all the clones had the same basic scent, the Haimaru brothers were male and had a different secondary scent than she did. Hana instantly realized he was tracking her by her pheromones, and started blushing. His nose was indeed sensitive if it could pick up that.

"Naruto, you'd make the Inuzuka proud." Naruto beamed at the compliment, knowing that being compared to one of Hana's clan mates in regard to his abilities was as good as it got.

Hana stood up, as the snake was recalled, and the ropes removed. "So, now that you are officially Genin, you need to do three things. Go to the Shinobi Registration Office and get your licenses. Take this letter with you, as proof of passing the exam," she said, handing a scroll to Sakura.

"Then head out to the Inuzuka Compound. My mom wanted me to bring you by if you passed in time for dinner. Last, be here tomorrow morning for team meeting and morning workout." Hana smiled, as she handed a slip of paper with directions to her clan compound written on it to Naruto. "Dinner is served at five-thirty. Don't be late," she said, walking away.

**== Inuzuka Compound ==**

Sakura walked up to the front gates of the Inuzuka Compound. A lone guard stood there, and nodded as she approached. "Hello, miss. What can I do for you?"

Sakura smiled. "I'm here for dinner with my sensei, Hana. My teammates should be coming along soon. Anko Mitarashi, and Naruto Uzumaki. I'm Sakura Haruno." As she said this, her teammates arrived, Anko carrying what looked like a bottle of sake. "See look, here they come now." The guard smiled and let them in, glad to see that an Inuzuka had finally taken a Genin team.

Sakura looked out over the entrance to the Inuzuka compound. There were a few houses, but unlike the Uchiha compound, these houses were set apart, with large spaces between them. It was like a mini village, instead of the Uchiha Compound's district-like feel. Kiba was waiting outside the largest house.

"Hey, congrats on passing. I heard my sister used a really tough version of the bell test," he said, as he led them inside. Sakura nodded, and looked around, noting that the fang marks on Kiba's cheek were actually part of his clan symbol, along with what appeared to be a howling dog's head.

"Yeah, but Hana-sensei underestimated us, and we caught her pretty quick," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head while grinning like a fool.

Kiba grinned. "Well, mom's making steak kabobs. She's on this whole foreign food kick, and apparently they're really big in Bird Country right now. So while we eat, you can tell me about the test, and I'll tell you about my teams." The three newcomers nodded as they were led into a large dining room.

Sitting at the table already were several members of the Inuzuka Clan: Tsume, at the head of the table, followed by Hana to her left. There were a number of empty spaces beside Hana, and the Genin assumed they were sitting there. To Tsume's right was an empty space, where everyone assumed Kiba was sitting, followed by a little girl around five.

The three non-Inuzuka sat next to their sensei, and tried to relax. Tsume leveled a glare their way,and started laughing.

"Hahahaha! Look at 'em. They remind me of those Iwa nin that fought the Yondaime! Scared stiff. Relax, no one's gonna bite." Tsume then glanced at the clock and walked to the kitchen coming back with a tray full of skewered foods. There were about forty kabobs on the plate, and everyone was told to take what they could eat. Naruto grabbed a few, and looked them over.

"Hey, are these veggies?" he asked, staring at he strange red pieces on the skewer. Tsume nodded, biting into one of her own kabobs.

After she swallowed, she explained what they were. "They're red peppers, from Vegetable Country. There are also green peppers, tomatoes, and onions along with marinated steak chunks. I've never really tried these before, but they sounded good." Kiba looked up at his mom, having finished his third kabob.

"Yeah, and they are!" Naruto saw Kiba chowing down and decided to give in and try it. To his surprise, it was delicious.

"Wow! Kiba's right this time! They are good!" Kiba nodded fervently, before realizing what was said.

"Hey! Screw you Naruto!" Everyone laughed as Kiba huffed and started eating again.


	5. Chapter 5 The Truth Behind the Hate

**Author's Notes**: Sorry this got out a day late. I had a huge Easter dinner to go to with my family,and I couldn't bring my laptop. Anyways, this sets up a little more of the friendship between team seven, though it's a little Sakura-centric. I'm not a sakura basher, though I've gotten a few PM's asking if she was gonna get it at the bridge and stuff. I have things planned for sakura, some good some fucked up, but nothing too bad as to mess her up for life or anything.

I do plan on bashing Sasuke a bit, just cause he's an ass.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 5**

Hana looked at her team in disgust. They'd just finished their first mission, and while it was a success, the utter lack of teamwork between her Genin caused the mission to take far longer than it should have. Iruka had jokingly made the comment that her team had made a new record for longest capture of the daimyo's wife's cat, Tora. Her students just didn't work well together.

Naruto was impulsive, jumping headlong into action without considering the consequences. Sakura was more reserved, but her complete fixation on the Uchiha was a detriment to her training, and she had little skill outside what she learned at the academy. Anko at least tried to get everyone to work together, even getting Naruto to calm down and pause long enough to formulate a plan. She sighed, knowing that she had a lot of work ahead of her.

"OK, it's obvious you three have the potential to become competent ninja, if barely. But you work together as well as an Iwa nin uses Suiton. Basically, you suck."

Sakura jumped to her feet, pointing at the blonde male to her left. "It's not our fault Naruto is a baka! Sasuke-kun would have had an amazing plan from the beginning," Hana glared at her student.

"Never compare your teammates to one of the Uchiha! Those thieving bastards don't work for their skills, they use that thrice-damned eye to steal whatever they want. Do not mention that clan of thieves in my presence, ever again, or I'll use _that_ punishment." Sakura cringed, remembering the story Hana had told them earlier that day.

Kiba had been caught peeping at the bathhouse, and as punishment, Tsume had tied thirty pounds of raw, bloody steak to her son, then set loose every dog in the compound. Kiba ran for hours, trying to find a safe hiding place to get rid of the meat.

Hana smiled once again."The good thing is, I have the perfect team building exercise. It's fool proof, and will help you develop the best teamwork ever."

Naruto looked at his teammates, then turned to his sensei. Sighing, he asked the question on their minds. "OK... What do we have to do, Hana-sensei?" he asked warily.

"Well, I was gonna use a modified Collar Seal, and make you do everything as a team. Unfortunately, the Sandaime deemed it was inhumane. So, instead, I'm opting for the next best thing. You get to be roommates." She paused to let the notion sink in, but continued before any of them could react.

"For the next month, you all will be living under the same roof. Everything you do is to be done as a team. Cleaning, cooking, everything. You get one hour of personal time each day, for showers, bathroom use, sex if you're getting it, whatever." Hana glared at her Genin. "Any questions?"

Naruto and Anko looked at each other and shrugged, not understanding the big deal. Sakura's reaction was much more memorable. Her eyes bugged wide, nearing the size of a tea saucer. "WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER?"

Hana rubbed the bridge of her nose. The intense shrillness of Sakura's voice, coupled with the enhanced range of hearing caused a massive headache to form. Naruto was rolling on the ground, holding his head. Sakura stood there panting, disbelief printed across her features.

Hana continued, still squeezing the bridge of her nose. "By living together, you will learn every aspect of your teammates lives. Every facet will be examined, every nook and cranny of their life explored. By understanding your allies, you are able to better help them in that split second where their life hangs in the balance." Naruto and Anko nodded, and Sakura couldn't help but notice the level of calm that surrounded the pair.

"How can you two be ok with this? I mean, I can't believe that you're just so accepting." Naruto shrugged but Anko spoke up.

"Just goes to show how little you understand your teammates, Sakura! We already live together." Anko said, pointing to Naruto, then to herself. Sakura stared at her, as a deep red blush bloomed on her face, as hundreds of dirty images flooded her mind. Naruto started panicking as Sakura fell over, a trickle of blood dripping from her nose.

"AHH! She's got the same disease Hinata has! We need to get her checked out!" Hana began laughing, as Anko realized what was happening. Her indignant shout was loud enough to be heard across town.

"HENTAI! We're roommates, not lovers!" Naruto sat for a minute, then began nodding fervently as his own blush threatened to wash his face in red. He couldn't help but send a sideways glance at his roommate, as his thoughts drifted back to the day Anko's Curse Seal was removed.

_'Anko-chan is still as hot as she was before! Maybe I should ask her out,'_ he thought, as his blush took over. _'But part of me still wants to go out with Sakura-chan. Meh, girls are confusing. What is it Shikamaru always says? Umm... oh yeah! Troublesome.'_

Sakura sat up, shaking her head as if trying to clear away unbidden thoughts. Her inner persona was tormenting her, images and scenes of Naruto and Anko, and occasionally herself, being intimate playing on repeat in her mind. Try as she might, she had trouble getting them to go away. Sakura looked around, but the moment her eyes brushed past Naruto, her face turned red again, and she had to fight to keep consciousness.

Hana waited for everyone to settle down and get under control before continuing. "Sakura, do you see what I mean? If you had taken any interest in your teammates, you would have seen that they're roommates, instead of jumping to the conclusion that they're lovers like that." She turned to her other students and mock whispered to them. _"You aren't, are you?"_ The two shook their heads no. "See, sakura?"

Sakura nodded, her head down to keep from accidentally seeing Naruto. "I understand sensei." She looked up, a new determination burning in her eyes. "I wanna be a strong teammate to you guys, so where are we staying?"

Naruto spoke up. "We could stay at our place. Anko-chan's room is big enough to add a second bed, or I could just sleep on the couch and give you my room." Hana grinned, relishing the feel of what she was about to do.

"Actually, You'll all be sharing Naruto's room, and I'll take over Anko's. I said you do everything as a team. This includes sleeping." Anko and Sakura looked uncomfortable, and Naruto had a look of horror on his face.

_'Oh god. If Sakura-chan beats me senseless when I ask her out, how will she react if she meets a 'friend' in the mornings? I'm not gonna last the night, oh god, oh god...' _he thought as his mind ran through the many ways his pink haired teammate could kill him. Hana could see the fear in his eyes.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

"Umm, well, my room is pretty crowded, with my king-size bed and all. I was trying to figure out how to rearrange the room to fit a set of bunk beds in or something." Hana smirked, glad she could continue her little bit of torture.

"Actually, you might as well share the bed."

The three Genin passed out, one with a look of horror, and two wearing perverted grins.

**== The Apartment, that night ==**

Sakura looked around the apartment, purposely avoiding the bedroom that she'd share with her teammates. Her father was upset, even going so far as to demand that the Hokage remove 'the demon' from the ninja ranks and execute it. Sakura was confused, but didn't ask any questions. Her mother sat on the window seat in their home with a sad smile on her face, either unable to do anything, or simply refusing to.

_- Flashback -_

"_Mom! Dad! I got some news!" Sakura called as she walked in her front door. Her mother, Hisui Haruno, walked out from the kitchen while her father, Ganjou, turned from his desk in the living room._

"_What is it, sweetie?" her mother asked. Sakura looked up and tried to be as nonchalant as possible._

"_Well as a training exercise, I'm gonna be living at my teammates house for the next month. They're both orphans, so they've got a place to themselves that they share. Our sensei says to be a cohesive unit, we need to understand everything about each other."_

_Ganjou spoke up. "So, who are your teammates?" Sakura sat at the table and poured a glass of water from the pitcher there._

"_Well, my sensei is Hana Inuzuka, and my teammates are Naruto Uzumaki and Anko Mitarashi." Ganjou stiffened up, while Hisui moved to the window seat._

_Ganjou moved to the door and left, muttering about demons and freaks. Sakura shook her head, confused, and moved to get her belongings from her room._

_- End -_

Sakura now sat in her new living room, eating a bowl of rice. Sakura wondered what she had said that had caused such a reaction in her parents. Sure, Naruto was an idiot, but he was a good guy overall. Anko was intimidating, but Sakura guessed it was because of who she was before and the image she had portrayed then. Sakura mentally chided herself for not realizing it sooner.

Across the room, Anko was sitting in a window seat, reading a book, while Naruto stood at a window box, taking care of a bunch of young plants. Sakura sighed, then spoke to her new roommates. "So, Naruto, I had an interesting conversation with my parents before I came here. I was wondering if you could help me out."

"Sure, Sakura-chan. What's up?" he asked, still tending to his miniature garden.

"Why do the villagers dislike you? When I told my parents about this training exercise, and who my teammates were, they flipped out, calling you things like demon and monster. I mean, you're really annoying and all, always asking me out even though I like someone else, but you're still a pretty good guy. I remember when we were younger and you stood up for me to that bitch Ami. Monsters don't do that kind of thing, don't stand up for others."

Naruto sighed. He was dreading this day, but he figured it would have come later in the month, to give him time to prepare for it. "Well, Sakura, I guess it's time you learned my biggest secret. What I'm about to tell you is an S-class Village secret. If anyone, other than the Hokage or I, tells someone what you're about to hear, the punishment is death, without trial or defense. Are you willing to accept that?" Sakura looked at her teammate, wondering what about his life could be so highly classified. She nodded. She was willing to learn, if it would make her team stronger.

Naruto sighed again. "Do you remember what I told you in the training field, about my peculiar affinity?" Sakura nodded, remembering the relationship that Naruto hinted at with foxes and his abilities. Sakura had attributed it to a strange bloodline, akin to the Inuzuka.

"OK, do you remember the story of the Yondaime and the Kyūbi? Well the story they told us in school wasn't far from the truth. The Yondaime did die defending the village from the Kyūbi, which he did defeat. What they didn't tell you is _how _he did it. He defeated it by sealing it in a newborn child, one who's umbilical cord had just been cut."

Sakura looked at Naruto, and frowned. "But I thought the Yondaime used his ultimate jutsu or something to kill the Kyūbi." Naruto laughed.

"The Kyūbi is the strongest of the Bijū. No one can kill an immortal creature. Tell me Sakura, do you know my birthday?" Sakura shook her head. "Heh. My birthday is October tenth." Sakura sat there for a minute and processed the information.

"So, you were born the day the Kyūbi attacked. You're the baby the Yondaime used, aren't you?" Naruto nodded.

"So, I guess you hate me now. I'm ok with that-"

"Shut up, baka. I'm not the top of our class in academics for nothing, I know the difference between a scroll and a kunai." Naruto looked at her with a vacant look before responding.

"What the hell does a scroll and a kunai have to do with anything? I'm telling you I've got a two hundred foot demon fox sealed in my gut, and you're talking about ninja tools?" Anko burst into laughter, then explained what Sakura was saying.

"She's saying that you are a sealing scroll, and the Kyūbi is a kunai. If the kunai is sealed into the scroll, does the scroll become sharp like the kunai? No, the scroll is simply holding the kunai. You are simply the Kyūbi's prison, and eventually, it's executioner. Besides, you used that exact same analogy when we had our introductions to the team."

Naruto huffed, then started pouting. "Yeah, well, I just told someone my biggest secret, and I was a little worried they might haul off and beat me snot-less. My bad." He frowned. "I'd hate to lose someone important to me," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Sakura looked at her teammates, and smiled. _'Naruto thinks I'm important? That's kinda...sweet.'_ As she sat there, one question kept popping up in her mind.

"If a Bijū can't be killed, how can Naruto be it's executioner?"

"Well, the Yondaime used a seal that binds the fox to my soul. When I die, it dies." Naruto shuddered, and took a deep breath. "Somehow, the info on the seal and it's purpose was leaked to the villagers, and they decided that the best way to insure that Kyūbi never attacks again is to get rid of it." Naruto stood up. "Come on, we need to go to the Hokage's office."

His teammates got up and followed, not daring ask any questions.

**== Hokage's Office ==**

Naruto stood in front of the desk of the Hokage, staring at the sight. The Hokage was sprawled out on the desk, a string of drool escaping his mouth. Naruto felt a tick mark growing. "Hey, Hokage-jiji! Wake up! Someone stole your last copy of Icha Icha!" The two girls blushed at the mention of the perverted book series, but the Hokage was a different story.

The old man leapt from his chair with the grace and agility of a man many years younger than he was. In a flash, the old man had donned his battle armor, and was preparing for war. "Naruto! What did the man who stole my book look like?"

Naruto and the girls started laughing. Sakura looked at her leader and laughed harder at the confused look on his face. "Sandaime-sama! It was a joke to wake you up! You should see your self!"

Hiruzen looked at himself, then realized he was preparing to go to war over a book he found in the discount bin. Sheepishly, he put his white robes back on, and sat again. "Well, it was NOT funny. So, what may I do for you?"

Naruto spoke quietly and without the usual boisterousness. "I need to show Sakura my medical file. I want her to see how bad my life was before I joined the academy, and gained the status of a shinobi-in-training." The Hokage nodded and pulled a thick file out of a cabinet behind his desk.

Sakura glanced at her blonde friend quizzically."Why would that matter?"

Naruto gave her a look that shocked her. His normally blue eyes were dull and pained. It was only a flash but it was there, and it scared her. "Sakura, the moment you entered the academy, it became a crime for anyone to attack, hit or harm you in anyway out side of parental discipline, under the laws set up by the Shodai. They were designed to keep rival clans from gaining too much power by killing off another clan's prospective ninjas while they were still students. That law saved my life," he said, handing her the thick file.

Sakura opened it and began skimming through the contents. She couldn't believe what her friend had gone through. There had been assassination attempts sanctioned by now dead council members, beatings, homelessness. She willed herself to read on, eventually coming to his medical records. What she read made her sick to her stomach, and she felt as if her insides were being torn away.

As she read the accounts of the attacks on his body, the cuts and bruises, broken limbs and even a fractured skull, all Sakura could think about was her actions against the boy. Every time she hit him, every act of abuse flashed through her mind, like some macabre movie without an eject button.

"My... God, Naruto, I'm sorry! I'll never hit you again! I swear!" she cried between sobs, her breathing ragged. Naruto and Anko gave her a hug, holding their teammate.

Naruto looked Sakura in the eyes, and smiled. "Hey, that day we met, when I helped you with Ami? You were the first person to play with me, and even if it was only for the day, you became my friend. My very first. No matter what, you're important to me. But don't pity me. I've moved past that part of my life. I only showed you because we're teammates and we need to be able to trust each other."

Sakura nodded, stifling her sobs. The Hokage looked at his children, the children of his village, and smiled, glad to see that the future of Konoha was in such capable hands.

**== One Month Later ==**

Sakura, Naruto and Anko looked out across the village, the sun setting in the distance. Tomorrow they would be able to live separate lives again.

Anko spoke up first. "Hey pinky. You know, if ya wanted, we could still get that second bed for my room. It's, well, we like having you around, you know? We'd feel weird without you there."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I talked with the landlord. He said if we want, he's even got a nice three bedroom place uptown, near the Hokage tower. He said that a hero like me should be treated better. He offered us the place at half cost. I mean, ya know, if ya want to stay around and all."

Sakura looked at her new friends, then laughed. Over the last month, she had come to see Naruto and Anko as family, someone she'd give anything for, and do anything to protect. Sakura still had a crush on Sasuke, but when she tried to use her hour of free time alone to go look for him, Naruto and Anko decided to go along, to make it an information retrieval and recon training exercise.

It ended up taking most of the day, but they found Sasuke, along with his sensei, in a field just outside of town. Naruto and Anko sat and talked, while Sakura watched Sasuke, waiting for a chance to talk to him. When it came, she asked him out, but he glared at her, and told her she was annoying. Sakura was crushed, and instantly wondered if what she was feeling was how Naruto felt when she yelled at him.

"You know, as Genin, we're considered adults. Let's go buy some sake and celebrate being us." Anko grinned approvingly, glad the pinkette was taking after her in a way. She'd already corrupted Naruto, or at least tried. It seemed alcohol had very little effect on him, so she gave up that course of action. It didn't mean he didn't like the taste. Quite the opposite, he drank it with dinner most nights.

"Atta girl! SAKE! Woo You know, we should have a sake night! Just lay around drinking and relaxing, throw in a movie, maybe that new Princess Gale flick."

Naruto grinned. "Hey, that sounds great! I'll head to the video store! Anko-chan, sake duty. Sakura-chan, snacks. I was thinking we could try that new western place, the one that serves that pizza Chōji's always going on about."

The three friends all laughed, and went their separate ways, intent on enjoying their new-found camaraderie.

-=0000000=-

Hana watched from the trees. She smiled at the antics of her students. They had grown so much, and so quickly. Naruto no longer kept his façade up in public, because he had genuine happiness in his life.

Anko, too, had come out of her shell, no longer the unsure girl in a time that was different from when she was growing, when war was prevalent. Now she was a flirty, albeit scary, teenager. Naruto and Anko had also begun talking more, testing the waters if you would. He had yet to ask her out, but it was inevitable. Hana had seen the way he looked at her at times, and she'd read the entries in Anko's journal.

Sakura had had the most changes of all. She'd thrown herself into her training, and pushed herself to become stronger. She'd heard about her friend and rival Ino being injured while on a c-rank mission to guard a caravan against bandits. She'd frozen up when they attacked, and took a kunai to the side. Sakura decided then and there that she'd become stronger, so she wouldn't end up like Ino. That's not to say she was completely changed. While she had lost her fangirlish ways, she still had quite a crush on the last Uchiha. It just didn't get in the way of her team anymore.

Hana laughed as her students planned to celebrate just being them. _'Hmm. Sake night. I remember Kurenai invited me to one of those once. Those kids better bring more sake, cause I think I might drop in for a bit. I might bring Kurenai by as well. She mentioned that she hadn't had fun like that since Anko's metamorphosis.'_

Hana watched as her students left, then stepped out of the trees, then went to the Hokage's office to collect a few missions for her team.

**== Fields of Konoha, one month later ==**

"Snake, in position."

"Copy. Fox in position."

"Right. Dove, in position."

Hana keyed her throat mike, whispering instructions. "OK, this is Wolf. The target is a brown and white cat, with a bow tied around the right ear. Target is aggressive, and will not hesitate to attack if cornered. Use extreme caution. Snake, distance to target?"

Anko's voice came over the headset. "This is Snake. Distance, fifteen meters and closing. Fox, distance?"

"Fox here, distance, twenty-five meters, coming in from the northeast. I have three Kage bunshin ready to run a herding maneuver if needed. Dove, what's your twenty?"

Sakura's voice echoed in their ears. "I'm in a tree right above the target. I'm gonna try to loop some wire around it's head. If I miss, I want you guys to herd it back toward Wolf. Is that ok with you Wolf?"

"Yes. We go live in three... two... one... GO! We're live, acquire the target, and prevent possible escape routes from being utilized."

Sakura dropped a loop of ninja wire coated with a padding agent to the ground. Slowly she lifted it up and around the cat's head, in an attempt to lasso the creature.

As the noose rose up, it brushed against one of the cat's whiskers, and the cat ran. Sakura swore, then keyed her mike. "Fox, Plan B is now live. Herd the cat back toward Wolf. Snake, ready the net-caps." Anko smiled. Net-caps were capsules that exploded and released a compressed chakra net on an unsuspecting victim. In emergencies, they could also be used as makeshift chakra pills, though they tended to cause nausea for a few days afterward.

"Roger. Net-caps at the ready. Target confirmed, ten meters and closing. Five. Net-cap released! Success. Target is neutralized. Identity confirmed. It's the daimyo's wife's cat."

Naruto and Sakura walked up to where Anko was standing, the chakra net replaced with a wire copy. Inside was one of the most infamous creatures to set foot into Konoha, the Demon Cat of Fire Country, Tora.

Tora made it a habit of escaping every week or so. It was the job of the village's Genin forces to find, capture, and return him to safety. This week happened to fall to Team Seven.

Hana congratulated her team, and they made their way back to the Hokage's tower, and the mission office. When They walked in, Iruka gave them a look of shock, then checked the time.

"Hana, your team is one of the most unpredictable teams ever. Not only do you hold the record for longest capture ever at 4 days, 12 hours and 27 minutes, but you now have the record for fastest capture, 3 hours and 6 minutes. What happened?

Hana looked at her team. Naruto was growing taller, having sprouted at least an inch over the last month. Sakura had cut her hair, and was more focused on her job as a guardian of the village, and Anko had become quite the fighter, after receiving scrolls for the hebi style of taijutsu from the Sandaime. He told her it was her birthright, as the Mitarashi Clan developed the hebi style during the second Great Shinobi war. Orochimaru learned it by stealing the scrolls from the corpse of one of her ancestors who had fallen in battle against Iwagakure.

She turned back to Iruka and was about to answer, when a messenger bearing the red coloring of an emergency came flying into the room. The Hokage took the scroll, and read it. "Iruka, how many missions has Team Seven done so far?"

"Forty-five in the last month, sir, usually two a day. Why?" he asked, looking through a ledger.

Hiruzen looked at Hana. "We've had an emergency call for back up just arrive. It seems the C-rank mission I sent Kakashi and his apprentice on is going to be harder than anticipated. I want you and your team to go and act as back up. You will take over Mission Command, since Kakashi is injured." The Sandaime turned to Iruka. "Give me a copy of the mission scroll from Tazuna, of Wave Country." Iruka found and handed the scroll to his boss.

Sarutobi opened the scroll, and with a large brush dipped in red ink, began marking on it. "Hana, I'm assigning your team a mission that they may not be able to handle. I normally wouldn't, but most of our more experienced teams are on the border of Rice Country putting down a bandit rebellion. This is a high C-rank Bodyguard Mission. You need to meet Kakashi and Sasuke Uchiha outside a small town about twelve miles from the border of Hi no Kuni. They'll be waiting for you," he said, as he handed her the modified scroll. Inside were the new mission parameters, along with a sum of money to collect at the completion of the mission, minus the amount paid.

Hana looked at her team, then smiled at the Hokage. "Alright I accept. Team Seven, we leave in an hour. Pack for at least two weeks. Anything longer and we'll have to resupply somewhere."

As the team of Genin walked out the office, Hana looked back at her friend. "Oh, Iruka. You asked what happened? My team grew up."

The Sandaime and Iruka looked at each other and smiled, knowing that they had made a good choice asking her to be a sensei.


	6. Chapter 6 The Road to Wave

**Author's Notes**: Wow... last chapter I had a blaring disconnect pointed out to me that I had to go back and fix. So anyone who read chapter 5 in the first 2 hours it was up, go back and reread it, as it changed a bit. Kudos to **SFBKludge** for pointing that out for me.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 6**

Hana stood at the gates, a backpack on her shoulders. Her Genin team was making their way up the road, talking amongst themselves. She noticed that all three of her students was wearing similar clothing.

Naruto had donned a white long-sleeved shirt, black cargo pants, his metal forearm guards, and a long coat. It was elegant, a deep black, hooded, but without sleeves, and hung to his ankles. Hana thought it was a good look on him.

Anko, on an impulse, decided on a similar pair of cargo pants, in a rich tan. She donned her usual purple tank top, but wore a mesh undershirt. Her ever-present trench coat now had a hood, and what looked like metal plates over her shoulders. Her long hair was pulled back into a thick braid, which hung to her shoulders.

Sakura's look was the most drastic, compared to her former attire. Gone was the long red dress with her clan circles on it. Now she wore white ANBU-style pants, a red zip-up vest, and a white coat that fell to mid-thigh, along with fingerless gloves with a metal plate over her knuckles. Like her teammates, her coat had a hood. Her hair was also pulled back in braids, two thick ropes hanging down the back of her head..

All three Genin carried a plain white mask tied to their belts, each identical except for a single kanji under the left eye. Naruto's said _Fox, _Anko's said _Snake, _and Sakura's said _Dove._

"What's with the masks?" Hana asked, looking at each carefully, noting the use of their mission code names.

Sakura answered their teacher, after handing her one that said _Wolf_. "A ninja's greatest tool is deception. What better way to deceive the enemy, if the enemy can't read your face?" Hana nodded approvingly, as Sakura continued. "We got the idea from ANBU. Same goes for the hoods." Naruto nodded absently, not really paying attention anymore. He was currently fiddling around with a scabbard that had somehow gone unnoticed before. It was strapped to his back under his coat, and the sheath was peeking out of an opening near the neck of his outerwear. Hana looked at him, wondering when he'd taken up kenjutsu.

"Naruto, what's that in the sheath?" Naruto pulled the blade out, revealing what appeared to be a long kunai, something roughly two or three times the length of a normal blade.

"This is a duelist's kunai. It's made for those situations when you get into a close quarters clash with another ninja. The way Tenten, you know, that girl over at Higurashi's Nin-Depot, the one that looks kinda like a panda with her hair tied up in those buns? Well, the way Tenten explained it, is that the extra weight and longer reach can give you an edge in close quarters.

"I stayed up last night, reading about kenjutsu, and practicing some basic moves. Shadow clones are really good for learning things like kenjutsu, since it's all muscle memory and how the strikes feel when they're done right. I practiced for about four hours, with twenty-four Kage bunshin, plus my self.. So about four days worth of practice in four hours. I'm not a master, hell, I'm barely a good swordsman, but it's a last ditch effort, and mostly for show for now."

Hana nodded, then turned to her team. "Well, we have to go. Kakashi and his _apprentice _are waiting for us about twelve miles out of Hi no Kuni, along with the client."

As the team left, they discussed the mission parameters. Sakura spoke up first. "What's the clients name, and why do they need our help?"

Naruto piped up, excited about being out of the village for the first time. "Sasuke-teme probably couldn't handle the pressure. I mean, a C-rank escort? Sheesh. No enemy ninja or anything."

Sakura looked at her loudmouth teammate. "Shut up, Naruto-baka. Let sensei answer the question."

Anko looked at her teammates. "I caught a glance at the mission scroll Hokage-sama gave sensei. This isn't just an average C-rank anymore. It's a high C-rank, with a good possibility of upgrading to a low B-rank."

Hana nodded. "That's right. Apparently Kakashi and his student encountered a couple of nuke-nin from mist, Genin from the letter Kakashi sent asking for assistance. Apparently the client, a bridge builder named Tazuna, lied about the mission parameters."

Anko asked the big question. "What do we need to expect?"

"Well, the bridge builder is targeted by Gato, of Gato Transport and Storage. We've long suspected him of illegal activities, but we've never been able to take him down since he operates in foreign lands. So, expect lots of mercs, and a few nuke-nin." Hana looked down a moment, thoughtful. "This'll probably be upgraded to a B-rank anyways, with the inclusion of enemy shinobi."

The three Genin nodded, moving quickly through the trees with their teacher. Time and distance passed quickly, and in relative silence. The only sound heard, outside the normal forest sounds, was a quick command for direction change, from Naruto at the front, his nose leading the way.

-=0000000=-

Kakashi sat under a tree, his one good eye on the book held in his hands. While he appeared to be reading, under the surface, he was seething. _'Those damn fools on the council. Forcing me to train this brat, using Obito's memory to get what they want.'_ The silver haired Jōnin sighed, shaking his head, as he watched the boy guarding the bridge builder. _'He's brash, arrogant, and refuses to train in anything that doesn't give him power. The damn council fucked him up good, always catering to his whims and desires. Gave the guy a freaking superiority complex the size of an Akimichi's appetite.'_

The boy in question was none other than Sasuke Uchiha, the last scion of the once illustrious Uchiha clan. The rest of the clan had been murdered, many while they slept, on the night of a full moon almost 5 years ago. Bad as it was for the village, it was worse for Sasuke. He'd come home after training hard until dark, just as the murderer had slaughtered his parents, exposing the boy to the most heinous of crimes. The attacker turned his attention on the boy, using an extremely powerful genjutsu to nearly destroy the child's mind, after telling him in a matter-of-fact tone, that he wasn't even worth killing.

When ANBU found the boy, he'd been crying in a corner, his eyes vacant, a mumbled stream of words spilling from his mouth in a never-ending monologue.

"_Why, aniki, why? What did I do, Itachi, why?"_

Kakashi's reverie was interrupted by the arrival of four ninja. One bore the markings of the Inuzuka clan, while the other three wore hoods. "I take it you're our back up?"

Hana nodded, taking in the scene with a cursory glance. There were three bodies in a pile near the base of a tree, the client was across the clearing sitting under another tree, and the Uchiha was staring at the newcomers, a few cuts and scrapes adorning his body. "Yes. This is my team. Were either of you hurt in your battle?" Kakashi shook his head, indicating he was fine, but Sasuke approached her.

"You may tend to my wounds, woman. Be quick about it, I've got training to continue." Hana glanced at the boy, then backhanded him, knocking him to the ground.

"Uchiha, you're only here because the council feels the need to ensure your loyalty by coddling you and giving in to your every demand. I am not one of the council's lapdogs. I am a guardian of Konoha, and I am a Jōnin. You will treat me with that respect, or you will find yourself on your ass, quite often." Kakashi was about to say something, when a look from the enraged Inuzuka stopped him.

"Kakashi-san, control your _apprentice_, or I will. His conduct is barely human, let alone that of a shinobi." As she walked away, she muttered under her breath,_"I've got ninken in the kennels that act better than that ingrate."_

Sasuke got off the ground, and charged the woman. In an instant, the three ninja that had accompanied her were in front of him, blocking the way. The speed that they moved caused their hoods to fall away, revealing their faces. Sasuke grit his teeth and growled.

"Kakashi, send this team back. They sent us a fan girl, the dobe and an amnesiac. They're worthless." The three Genin stood their ground, but not without a few comments thrown back.

"Hey, Duck-ass. Don't forget, we _tied_ for Rookie of the Year," Anko said, her eyes glinting dangerously. Sasuke grunted, and turned away, but was stopped in his tracks by a condescending voice.

"Hey, teme! Got your Sharingan yet? Or are you too weak to manifest that eye infection you call a bloodline?" Sasuke turned back to see the dobe staring at him, a cocky grin on his face.

"Don't talk back to your superiors, dobe. I'd hate for you to have an _accident_ while you're out here," the raven-haired boy said as a sadistic and slightly evil smile flashed across his features. He cried out in surprise when Sakura slapped him to the ground once again.

"Sasuke-kun, please don't threaten my teammates ever again. I really don't want to hurt you."

Kakashi watched as the boy climbed back to his feet, mumbling something about losers sticking together, and lower class trash not respecting the upper echelon of society, and couldn't help but smile with grim satisfaction.

Turning to the other Genin instructor, Kakashi flashed one of his eye smiles, a slight curvature of the muscles around his one visible eye that seemed to convey as much emotion, if not more, than his entire face could. "Well, if you could heal the boy's injuries, we could either set out, or make camp for the night and continue in the morning."

Anko spoke up. "Sensei there are six of us. The standard watch schedule is split up into four shifts right?" Hana nodded. "I was thinking it would be easier if we had two Genin take a shift, then a Jōnin, then Genin then a Jōnin again." Hana looked at her student, and nodded.

"Well, we'll make camp here, and I'll clean up the brat's wounds. Any volunteers for first watch?"

Anko raised her hand and Naruto smiled to himself. _'Yeah! I can finally get some alone time with Anko-chan,' _he thought as he raised his hand as well. Hana and Kakashi nodded, finding the arrangement acceptable.

The next couple of hours went well. Sakura surprised everyone with her ability to cook with very little to use. Anko and Naruto had always had an appreciation for their team/roommates culinary ability, but this, a wild salad, rice and roasted fish, was amazing. The group ate comfortably in silence, savoring the taste of the simple meal. After dinner, the Jōnin delegated clean up duties, and informed everyone that they had about fifteen minutes of personal time until lights out and first watch.

-=0000000=-

Anko sat against the tree, scanning the darkness. Her teammate sat next to her, his eyes trained in the opposite direction. They sat motionless for a while, each taking comfort in the breathing of the other. It was Naruto who broke the silence, his voice seeming louder than it really was.

"Umm, Anko-chan? Can I ask you something? It's kinda personal, and I didn't really wanna bring it up in front of everyone else." Anko turned to him, wondering what was on the blonde's mind.

"Sure, Naruto-kun. I'm all ears."

"Well, this is kinda awkward, and I really don't know how to go about asking this..."

Anko sighed. "Just ask me or say whatever it is you want to get out. I'm your teammate, your roommate, and your best friend. Come on, no secrets, remember?"

Naruto nodded, setting steel in his spine. His demeanor exuded confidence, but his words still came out in a jumbled heap. "Anko-chan, Ireallylikeyou, willyougooutwithme?"

Anko stared at her blonde companion, hoping she had heard what she thought she had heard. "Care to repeat that, slower this time?" Naruto nodded, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Without opening them, he started again, slower.

"Anko-chan, will you be my girlfriend? I really like you, and I want to show the world how great you are. I know you better than I know anyone else, just as you know more about me than even the Hokage. I trust you with all of my secrets, all of my dreams. I really like you. I have for a long time," he finished lamely, not sure if he should expect the cold shoulder, or a beating. He waited for a moment, then opened his eyes, looking at the girl he'd just asked out.

Anko was looking at him, her honey colored eyes piercing deep into his soul, as if searching for an iota of dishonesty. Finally she smiled. Naruto smiled back and grinned. "So, is that a yes?"

What happened next was not the answer he was expecting. Anko slowly leaned forward, and gently placed her lips against Naruto's. It was tender, a chaste kiss between two teenagers who were not only discovering themselves, but each other. Naruto's eyes widened in shock, them he relaxed as the feel of her soft lips on his took over. He wrapped his arms around her, as if by instinct, one on the small of her back, the other between her shoulders. Anko's arms went around his neck as they kissed, gently, fumblingly at times, over and over again.

Anko broke off the kisses, grinning as she did so. She snuggled up closer to Naruto, turning so her back was against his chest. "Yes, that was a yes."

Naruto smiled, and kissed her again. As he pulled away, his watch beeped, signaling the end of their watch. "Well, Anko-hime, let's go get Hana-sensei." Anko smiled, knowing that anyone else who called her that would have been castrated on the spot.

Naruto and Anko made their way to camp, and woke up their sensei. As she crawled out of her tent, she noticed her two Genin holding hands. "Finally asked her out, huh? 'Bout time. A ninja's life is too short to deal with indecision. Anyways, get to bed, and no funny stuff." Naruto and Anko both turned a dark red before they went to the large three man tent they shared with Sakura.

-=0000000=-

The next morning, the Genin team once again set out on their path. Tazuna was in the middle of the pack, with Hana leading the group. Next came Sakura and Sasuke, both quiet, Sakura contemplating the fact that her two best friends were now dating.

Behind them was Tazuna, then the new couple, who walked closer together, and occasionally brushed hands together, or leaned toward the other for a quick kiss. Kakashi brought up the rear, his trademark orange book in his hands, a perverted giggle escaping his lips every so often. Hana had to wonder if the giggles were caused by his choice in literature, or by the two lovebirds in front of him.

The group marched on in silence, scanning the surroundings. It seemed as if they marched forever, and Naruto began wondering if the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. There hadn't been a single attack since his team had arrived, and that included bandits.

Naruto felt himself getting tired, noticing his eyes getting droopy in a puddle they passed on the road. He sighed, and wondered how much farther it was to the area they'd be for the next two weeks to a month. He never expected the loud battle cry from behind, nor the sudden and gruesome death of one of the city's elite Jōnin by a barbed chain eviscerating and bisecting his body.

Staring at him and the group were two ninja, dressed in camouflage, wearing what appeared to be breathing devices of some sort. The both wore hitai-ate from Kirigakure, but they had slashes through the symbol, marking them as nuke-nin, like the Genin from the day before. The chain that connected the two was hooked to the gauntlets each wore, one on his left, the other his right.

The first one cackled madly. His voice resonated through his re-breather. "That's one," he growled, as he and his partner vanished, then reappeared behind Sakura.

The second nin howled, his voice full of blood lust. "This'll be two!"

At the last possible moment, Sakura dissolved into a cloud of flower petals, with the whisper of her favorite genjutsu.

**'Magen: Sen Sakura no Jutsu**'

The two nuke nin felt multiple slashes across their bodies, as the pink haired girl seemed to materialize randomly around them to attack, only to vanish again when she had struck. Within moments, the two sank to their knees, the pain in their bodies overwhelming. Hana bound the two with chakra cuffs, and tied them to a tree.

"Hmph. Weak minds. You actually thought that you were being hurt. My **'Magen: Sen Sakura no Jutsu'** is simply a mind over matter genjutsu, and your mind created the pain in your bodies based on what I showed you. Pathetic."

The attackers slumped over, exhaustion working though their bodies as their chakra was forcibly drained. Naruto and Anko looked at their teammate and smiled. She'd shone like the sun in her first combat situation, instead of freezing up like so many did.

"The Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gōzu. Chūnin rank missing-nin from Kiri. This has escalated to a B-rank mission for sure now." Everyone turned to look at the silver haired Jōnin that had joined them from the woods.

"If you were alive, why didn't you help earlier?" Sakura asked, her voice dripping venom at having almost gotten shredded.

Kakashi shrugged. "I wanted to see who they were after."

Naruto stared at him, wondering if the mask was causing a lack of oxygen to the man's head. "Are you freaking stupid? You already know who they're after! You've known for two days!" Kakashi looked at the livid blonde, then motioned sheepishly, his hand rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Heh, I guess I did. Oh well, Sakura-san, you handled those two beautifully. You've been trained well." Sakura blushed, the compliment coming from nowhere surprising her.

"Thank you, Kakashi-san."

-=0000000=-

Sasuke stood by the bridge builder, watching the display with disdain. The girl had gotten lucky, and used genjutsu. So what. It wouldn't do him any good against _him,_ the man he had sworn to kill. His eyes would see right through the illusion like glass. He crossed the pinkette of his list as a person to acquire jutsu from.

_'Hmm. I wonder if the other two have any jutsu I should bother with. Naruto might not, but that Anko might have some that she hasn't told anyone about. I'll definitely have to watch her once my Sharingan activates.'_ Sasuke began to cackle like a madman. Soon, he'd have the power to defeat that man, and then he'd work on returning the Uchiha to it's former glory.

The boat rocked gently over the waves, carrying the travelers over the water towards the island nation of Wave Country. The water was covered in a thick mist, one that obscured the vision to the point that no one noticed the massive shadow looming over them. Tazuna whispered to everyone. _"Hey, look up!"_

Naruto looked at the bridge in stunned silence. It was massive, at least as wide as the main road into Konoha, and at least four or five stories above the water's surface. "Wow! That's amazing. You built this, old man?" Tazuna nodded, and Naruto looked back to the bridge.

Anko and Sakura looked to the bridge as well, taking in the sheer expanse of it. It was one of the biggest structures they'd ever seen, outside of Konoha, and bigger than most constructs in the village proper.

The driver of the boat killed the engine, and let the boat drift slowly into the opposite shore. "Tazuna-san, good luck and take care. We're all counting on you."

Tazuna nodded, as he got off the boat. He looked around worriedly. The mist was getting thicker it seemed, and had an unnatural heaviness to it. His traveling companions noticed it too, and immediately dropped into a defensive diamond formation, a Genin on each side of him, with the two Jōnin at point and rearguard. The three Genin of the back up squad retrieved their masks from their belts and put them on, special seals holding them in place in lieu of straps or ropes.

They cautiously made their way towards the small village where Tazuna lived. Anko had summoned a small pit viper, who was using it's thermal vision to keep a watch on the road ahead. It suddenly reared up and hissed in Anko's ear.

"EVERYONE! DOWN, NOW!" she screamed as she pulled the bridge builder down to the ground with her. The other five leaf nin fell to the earth. A massive sword came spinning through the air, mere inches from their heads, before embedding it self eight inches into the trunk of a tree.

Everyone turned to see a tall muscular man standing on the hilt of the sword. His face was covered much like Kakashi's, but with bandages instead of a mask, and his chest was bare save for a few leather straps that could have been a sword belt of some kind.

"Heh heh heh heh heh! It seems you're more observant than I thought," the man said before grabbing the handle of his sword and pushing off the trunk of the tree, freeing the massive blade. Kakashi looked at the man and grimaced.

"Zabuza Momochi, A-rank missing nin from Kirigakure, former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Master of Silent Killing." The man, now known as Zabuza, laughed

"I see my reputation precedes me. But don't worry, I know a bit about you too." Zabuza stared at the silver haired Jōnin. "Kakashi Hatake. Listed in the Bingo Book of _three _different nations as Flee on Sight. Known as the Copy Nin, as well as Copy-cat Kakashi, and has been said to have copied over a thousand jutsu. Am I right so far?"

Kakashi raised his hand, and pulled the headband that covered his face away. Underneath was a long scar that ran across his left eye. The most shocking part was the eye itself. It was red, and had three small comma like symbols around the pupil.

Everyone except Hana looked at the man in shock. Zabuza just laughed his laugh. "Showing off that accursed eye so soon?" Zabuza leapt forward, swinging his blade in a downward strike. Kakashi sidestepped, and spun toward Zabuza, attempting to smash his face with a back-fist. Zabuza blocked the strike with his forearm, then surprised Kakashi by sending him flying with a kick that used his sword handle as a leverage and pivot point.

Kakashi landed in the water with a small splash, and immediately realized something was wrong. The water felt heavy, and thick. Kakashi barely had time to register what was going on before he found himself encased in a globe of water. Kakashi quickly turned to the Genin and his fellow Jōnin.

"RUN! This guy is way to much for you to handle. Get Tazuna to the town and guard him." Naruto stepped up, his fox mask shining dully in the light. A monotone voice, trained for deception called out to the trapped shinobi. "Kakashi-san, Snake, Dove and I are under direct orders to back you up in all things. Please allow us to assist your in your escape." Zabuza noticed the three masked ninja and grew worried. They weren't ANBU, he knew that. What or who they were, he didn't know, but knew he would find out.

"Gaki, I don't recognize those masks. What division are you?" The ninja designated as Fox looked at the man, then answered in that same monotone.

"Whatever division we may belong to doesn't matter. Know that you will die on this island, Momochi." Zabuza growled.

"Whatever! As if a bunch of brats and their bitch of an Inuzuka sensei could stop me."

Zabuza froze as an icy voice whispered in his ear. "I think we could, Momochi-san," the voice said, bringing a kunai down into the arm that supported the prison jutsu. Zabuza spun around to see a fourth masked ninja standing behind him. This one's mask said Wolf.

Kakashi watched as the watery prison fell around him, Zabuza's arm pulled away to nurse his wound. He was about to ask how they had completely concealed a fifth member of their team, when Hana was covered in a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, one of the Haimaru brothers was standing there, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Kakashi faced off against the missing nin once again. The two felt themselves flying through hand signs, but Kakashi's eyes gave him the subtle advantage, and he made good use of it.

Naruto and Anko watched as the two Jōnin fired their jutsu, or at least Kakashi did. His sharingan eye was interfering with Zabuza's ability to concentrate, and he missed a hand seal, making the jutsu ineffective.

**'Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu'** Kakashi screamed as a massive wave of water washed Zabuza away, slamming his body into tree after tree, before finally slamming him hard against a massive oak and dying away. Zabuza moaned, and tried to stand, but a hail of kunai pinned him to the trunk.

Zabuza had seen what the eye could do, had heard his thoughts leaving the silver-haired Jōnin's mouth. "Tell me, can that eye of yours see the future?" Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, and I see death for you," he said, as he aimed his kunai high. No one saw the origin of the senbon in Zabuza neck, only that they weren't there at all, then suddenly they were. An unknown voice spoke up, startling everyone.

"Thanks, Kakashi-san. I've been chasing him for months." The voice belonged to a hunter-nin that dropped down from the trees and picked up Zabuza and the sword, then promptly vanished.

The contingent from Konoha stared at the now vacant spot in wonder, wondering who the hell that was, and what had just happened.

**Author's End Notes : **

**Magen: Sen Sakura no Jutsu: **Translates into **Demonic Illusion: 1000 Cherry Blossoms Technique.** Sakura sets up the genjutsu, causing her body to vanish in a swirl of sakura petals. It's a cover for a kawarimi with a satchel of petals that opens as the replacement is activated. Then the illusion creates the impression that the user is teleporting around attacking under the cover of the cherry blossoms. In reality, it's an enhanced version of the death viewing jutsu that actually makes the user feel like they are being attacked. the stronger the user, the stronger the opponents it can be used against.


	7. Chapter 7 Preparations in Wave

**Author's Notes**: My apologies to everyone who's been wondering where I've been. I've had a couple of rough weeks. My job screwed me over, first by working me 72 hours, then by laying me off a second time. Then my grandmother passed away, and I was just to depressed to write. It took a while to start moving on with my life, and I still break down in to tears randomly. I promise to have next week's chapter ready in time, and hopefully I can get a good groove going and catch up the two chapters I'm behind.

BTW, I really don't like this chapter, but I had to do it.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 7**

Naruto looked at the tree where Zabuza had sat only moments before. It had happened in an instant, but the group of shinobi had the same idea running through their minds.

_'Accomplice.'_

Naruto and his team were about to start searching for the hunter-nin and the body of Zabuza, when Kakashi collapsed. Hana was immediately at his side, examining him. She was shocked to find a long, crusted over gash along his right side. It looked as if he'd been healing it himself with a half-formed medical jutsu. She stared at the man as something clicked in her mind. _'When Hokage-sama gave us this mission, he gave me mission command for a reason. Kakashi was injured. He must have been hiding it to appear strong for the Genin.' _She scowled, turning her face to the man laying on the ground.

"Kakashi-no-baka. I'm taking over mission command," she said, placing a scroll into his vest pocket. "When you regain the ability to move your arms, read that, the details are all in there." Kakashi was too weak to argue, so he simply nodded before closing his eyes. Naruto looked at the silver haired man, then pulled his hitai-ate over the strange red eye, hiding it once again.

Naruto made a set of shadow clones, instructing them to carry the fallen Jōnin to the bridge builders house. Hana motioned for the other Genin to follow the blonde, she herself taking up the rear.

-=0000000=-

Tazuna's house was a two story structure in a small village a few miles from the bridge site. It was plain and unassuming, but it was cozy. Tazuna smiled as it came into sight.

"There she is, my lovely home. Come on, you can all stay here. It insist," he said, smiling. "That and my daughter wouldn't have it any other way. She'd have my head if I made you find your own lodgings."

Anko smiled, looking at the house. "Thanks, Tazuna-san. We'll need two rooms, one for me and my teammates, and one for Kakashi-san and his apprentice."

Tazuna looked at the purple haired girl as they walked inside. "Is it alright for you and that pink-haired girl to share a room with a boy? Isn't that inappropriate or something?" Anko and Sakura just shook their heads. Tazuna shrugged. It wasn't his business, after all.

A tall woman with coal black hair moved towards them from the kitchen. "Dad, who're these people with you? I thought you were going to Konoha to negotiate a labor agreement?"

Tazuna nodded his head. "I did. I hired a group of Konoha's ninja to serve as bodyguards. Best damn thing I did, too! Gato's started sending shinobi after me now."

Tsunami put her hand over her mouth, then fought back a sob. "Dad, I know you want to restore our country to it's former glory and freedom, but please be careful. I can't deal with losing you." Tazuna nodded, and Tsunami quickly dried her eyes, dabbing them with the hem of her apron.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean for you to see that little outburst." She moved towards the stairs, beckoning for the others to follow her. They did, moving to the far end of the hall. Tsunami stopped in front of a set of doors, one on either side of the hallway.

"These are the guest rooms. Dinner is in an hour," she said sweetly, smiling as she made her way back down stairs.

-=0000000=-

Tazuna studied the ninja sitting in his living room. Four were children, barely into their teens, while the older woman was in her early twenties. The old bridge builder had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that these kids were trained killers, part of a military force.

He glanced at the boy that had arrived with the second group. "Hey, blondie. I have a question for you, for all of you. Why did you decide to become a ninja? Why not live your life like a normal kid?"

Naruto looked at he old bridge builder. "Tazuna-san, my life is anything but normal, but to answer your question, I became a shinobi to protect those I love, to defend the lives of those few people I care about."

Tazuna nodded, contemplating the boy's answer. It was more mature then he had expected. If he had said it was for glory, or for adventure, it would have surprised him less.

Sasuke harrumphed in the corner. "Hey, dobe, anyone you needed to protect would probably die. I still don't know why they sent a bunch of losers to aid me. As if I'd need help." Sakura turned to look at Sasuke, her eyes narrowed.

Without taking her eyes off the boy in the corner, she addressed their host. "Tazuna-san, you were there, how many of the attackers did Sasuke-_kun_ handle on his own before we showed up?"

Tazuna looked at the pink-haired girl, who had turned to face him. "Umm, well, he actually froze, while the guy upstairs threw me down, and took out all three. That's the main reason I made him ask for backup... I didn't wanna die because some rookie couldn't handle the pressure of battle," he said, frowning. Then he perked up, smiling. "But you, you were great. I'm not sure what you did, but that skill was impressive. I could see them flinching as if they were being hit, while that packet of sakura petals opened up over them."

Sakura smiled. "That was a genjutsu. It makes them think they're in a cloud of sakura petals, while I use kawarimi to get to safety. The genjutsu then makes them think they're being hit from random points in the cloud, by pumping short bursts of chakra in to the pain center of their brains. It's so simple, but it causes them to feel real pain and exhaustion."

Naruto and Anko looked at their teammate, having never received an explanation as to how it worked before, they just knew it was a genjutsu, and that they each had to carry one of those sachets of petals for her to be able to switch with.

Hana smiled. "To think, that the great Uchiha froze up, but one of my _misfits_ was able to defeat two Chūnin with a genjutsu she created herself." Sasuke stood up and growled, stomping away. He stopped at he bottom of the stairs, and turned to speak.

"Meh, whatever. Genjutsu is pointless against me. My Sharingan will see right through it."

Tazuna looked up at the boy as he climbed the stairs, then returned to his conversation with the others. "What is this Sharingan I've been hearing about? It's been mentioned a few times and I was curious."

Naruto snarled. "That teme and his family are the Uchiha, or at least they were, and the Sharingan is their bloodline trait. It's a foul eye that lets them copy any skill they see, be it a ninjutsu, a genjutsu, or someone's taijutsu. It's a cheap way to get power, and it makes the user arrogant."

Naruto stood up, his eyes drooping. "I'm off to bed. Night, Tazuna-san." His teammates and sensei followed, each feeling the day's exhaustion taking it's toll.

-=0000000=-

The next morning found the Konoha shinobi standing of the banks of a river in to forest outside of town. They were currently standing in a line facing their sensei. Hana looked at the four Genin in front of her, while Kakashi stood of to the side, supporting himself on crutches.

"Today, we are going to be training. I'm not sure about you, Sasuke, but my team is accustomed to a physical workout first, every morning, followed by chakra control exercises, then learning new things. So, I want you all to give me one hundred push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and lunges, then run five kilometers." Her Genin nodded, used to the light workout each morning. Sasuke grunted, but decided to try and keep things running smoothly for now. He could still feel the sting of the Inuzuka woman's backhand.

Hana continued to give out instructions. "After running, comeback here and rest for fifteen minutes, then move on to tree climbing."

"How the hell is something as childish as climbing trees going to help me gain power?"

Hana stared at he raven haired boy that had interrupted her. "Are you serious? Kakashi, does your apprentice know the tree climbing exercise?" Kakashi shook his head no.

"When I tried to teach him chakra control, he refused. I told him that I wouldn't teach someone who didn't want to learn what I was offering. Guess what he did?"

"Whined to the council?" Anko supplied, garnering a growl from the dark haired boy.

"Yeah, well, they said to give him what he wants, or they'd find ways to make my life hell. I'm not really worried, but I'd rather not piss off the council in a ninja village... too many things could happen." Hana turned to Sasuke, her grin concealing a hint of evil.

"Well, I'm not gonna deal with his crap, so Kakashi, he's yours. My Genin and I will be up the river a ways."

Team Seven walked up the river, while Sasuke stared at them, occasionally sending glares into the back of the dark haired sensei's head.

-=0000000=-

Several hours later, Kakashi found the now tired Genin of Team Seven sitting under a rather large tree. _'Hana's giving them a lecture, it seems,'_ he thought. Moving closer, he realized that they were discussing something.

"Ok, here's the situation. You three shouldn't be out here, hell, there should be a freaking ANBU strike team to handle this. It's a definite B-rank now, most likely an A-rank, and it's just gonna get harder. I'd say we've got about four or five days to train and get better, before no-brows returns."

Kakashi had to stifle a giggle at Hana's name for the missing-nin. He walked into the field and sat next to Hana, listening as she gave her troops a pep talk. "Now, I know you guys have good teamwork, I made sure of that. But you need to have good individual skills as well." She pulled three index card sized pieces of paper from one of her vest pockets.

"This is chakra paper. It's made from trees that are grown in soil that is over-saturated in chakra, making the paper itself very sensitive to... you guessed it, chakra. I want each of you to channel a bit of chakra into your paper, and I'll tell you what the results mean," she told them as she handed the paper out.

Sakura went first, channeling her chakra into the small sheet of paper. It immediately got wet, and fell apart, the soggy clumps hitting the ground with a splat. "I guess you know that means water type, right? Thing is, you've got a really strong water type, probably one of the strongest I've seen." Sakura looked at her.

"How can you tell?" Hana smiled.

"Normally, a water type, like me, gets their card damp, like something was spilled on it, but quickly cleaned up. Yours looked like it was pulled from the bottom of a lake. Anko, you next."

Anko channeled her chakra, and the paper in her hand began to crumble, like the ground on a hot day. It stopped crumbling just short of the midpoint of the card. "Earth, a defense based affinity, but a good one none the less. Sandaime is an Earth affinity, and he's still one of the strongest ninja in the world today." Naruto channeled his chakra into the paper, and looked at his sensei as the paper cut itself in half, right up the middle.

"Wow, there's a rare one. Wind affinity. That's the same affinity as Asuma, Team Ten's sensei, and the Yondaime." Naruto looked at his sensei, stars in his eyes. It was a well known fact among the members of Team Seven that Naruto idolized the Yondaime, even if it was because of him that Naruto had the Kyūbi sealed in his gut.

"Really? Wow! Maybe I could learn Yondaime's techniques, huh? That'd be so cool. Konoha's Second Flash! Yeah! It sounds good!"

Hana laughed, as Naruto's teammates stifled their giggles. After a moment, the dark-haired woman continued. "Sakura, I'm gonna teach you the first Suiton jutsu I ever learned. **'Suiton: Mizurappa'**. It's a jutsu that fires a large amount of water from the mouth. It can be manipulated by changing the size and shape of your open mouth."

Turning to Anko, Hana smiled. "You'll be learning one of Kakashi's favorite jutsu. I've personally seen him use it at least a hundred times. '**Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu'**. It allows you to incapacitate an opponent by dragging their body under the ground, leaving the head exposed. Good for torture, or a quick death."

Hana finally focused on Naruto, but her words were disappointing. "Naruto, I'm sorry, but I didn't plan on you having a wind affinity, since it's so rare. I haven't anything to teach you." Naruto looked crestfallen, but Kakashi's voice startled him.

"Here, this might help. It was one I was gonna teach Sasuke, but it doesn't match either of his affinities. Naruto is more then welcome to it," Kakashi said, tossing a scroll to the young man. Naruto opened it and read the title. **'Fūton: Reppūshō'**.

Naruto looked at the silver-haired man, and smiled. It seemed that the teme had been assigned to a decent guy after all. "So what's this do?"

Kakashi smiled, the crinkle around his eye letting them know what his mask hid. "It's a c-rank offensive jutsu, similar to the Suiton that Sakura is going to learn. It comes from the hands though, and has a few supplementary uses. Once you get the skill down, I'll explain the other uses for it to you."

Naruto nodded, glad that there was someone else in the world he might be able to count on.

-=0000000=-

Zabuza lay in bed, his body aching. He was glad that his subordinate was able to save him, but the manner in which it was done was still painful as all hell. He stewed in his thoughts, wondering if he'd be able to finish this job and get paid soon. Gato was a pain in the ass, and Zabuza couldn't stand working for him any longer.

"Zabuza-sama, it's good you're awake, though I didn't expect you revive for another day at least."

Zabuza looked at his subordinate, the hunter-nin mask still hiding the face. "Take that damned mask off. It creeps me out."

Zabuza's partner laughed, then removed the mask. "But Zabuza-sama, it holds so many memories, doesn't it?"

The swordsman stopped talking and closed his eye as the door to the room opened. A short man in a suit walked in, two tattooed and scarred samurai following him. He stopped a few feet into the room.

"So, even you lost huh? Figures, I always heard the ninja from Kirigakure were weak anyways. And to think, they called you the Demon of the Mist? Pfft! More like a kitten." Gato reached his hand toward Zabuza, as if to remove the coverings on the lower half of his face. He was stopped short when an incredibly strong hand grabbed his wrist and twisted, snapping one of the bones there instantly.

Gato screamed as the strange ninja that was with Zabuza gripped his wrist mercilessly. "You're breaking it, stop, you're breaking it!" He turned to his body guards, his face pale. " Zōri! Waraji!Get this asshole!"

The two samurai began to pull their blades, but found themselves empty-handed with their own swords to their throats. "If you leave now, I'll promise not to kill you." Both nodded hurriedly, then grabbed their swords and moved to the door, Gato close behind.

"Listen up! Next time, you better win, or I'll see to it you have an _accident,_" Gato snarled, still grasping his broken wrist. He slammed the door behind him, muttering curses about ninja and their freakish strength.

"That was unnecessary. I had it covered," Zabuza said, twitching his left hand out from under the blankets, revealing a hidden kunai.

"I know, Zabuza-sama. But I can't stand that creep. Soon, we'll be out from under his thumb, and we can try to take Kiri again." Zabuza looked at his companion, and nodded, his eyes staring into the distance, a pensive look taking control of his features.

-=0000000=-

Kazuhiro Gato sat in his personal medic's office, his wrist being bandaged. He was growing tired of the two ninja still alive and under his employ. He was already paying them an absurd amount of money to get rid of the bridge builder, and they had yet to accomplish that task. He decided that two chances were enough.

"Zōri! Get your ass in here quick!" Gato yelled, his bad mood worsening every minute. Zōri walked in, his eyes scanning the room. "Take Waraji, and hire as many thugs and bandits as you can. I need enough to kill those bastard mist nin, as well as any protection the bridge builder will still have after the big goon with the sword finishes up with the leaf nin." Zōri saluted, his fist over his chest.

"Right away, Gato-sama."

Gato grinned, relishing in the sweet taste of double-crossing someone, noting that the increased pleasure of stabbing someone as powerful as the Demon of the Mist in the back was more intoxicating than the opiates he shipped and sold on a daily basis. _'Soon, I'll have complete control, and there will be no one to stop me._'

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat under a tree, resting. He wasn't tired, but the jutsu he was using seemed to take a lot more out of him than other jutsu he had used or tried. Even the **'Tajū Kage Bunshin' **wasn't this chakra demanding.

Kakashi looked at his student, who was also sitting under a tree, exhausted from the countless attempts at running up the tree. He'd finally made it to the top, only to collapse from exhaustion.

Kakashi smiled, and turned his attention back to Naruto. "Now that you've got the basics of that jutsu down, there are other uses for it, aside from being a violent blast of wind from your palms. Throw a kunai, then aim this jutsu at it,and you can increase the speed and piercing power of said kunai tenfold." Kakashi threw a kunai as hard as he could at a tree, which promptly buried itself to the ring in it's trunk. He threw a second kunai, again, as hard as he could, then used the **'Reppūshō', **causing the kunai to embed itself to the ring as well. Only this kunai was in the tree behind the first tree.

Naruto was amazed. He'd been given a powerful tool, and would be able to use it for a lot of other things too. "Hey, Kakashi-san. Are there a lot of versatile, multi-use jutsu out there?" Kakashi looked at the boy questioningly.

"A good question. Why do you ask?"

Naruto grinned. "Well, I already know **'Kage Bunshin'** and it's got a bunch of uses, now I've got **'Futon: Reppūshō'** which has multiple uses as well. I think I'd like to add more multi-use jutsu to my skills, kinda be a nin-of-all-trades." Kakashi looked at the blonde and smiled.

"I'll have to look through my scroll library."

-=0000000=-

Sasuke was fuming. The dobe had been given an elemental jutsu and had learned it in less than a day. Sasuke would never tell anyone, but it had taken him almost a week of constant practice to get his **'Gōkakyū no Jutsu' **to where it was now. To think that Naruto, the dead-last of all people, could do better then an Uchiha made his blood boil. And to top it off, _his_ sensei was teaching the _loser_ how to use the skill, instead of giving him more power.

Sasuke glared at the two as Kakashi demonstrated with the kunai. His jaw dropped when he saw the kunai pierce through the tree before burying itself in the tree behind it.

Sasuke watched, examining every bit of the dynamic between the two men across the clearing. He watched closely, trying to learn why the blonde was so powerful.

After a moment, it hit Sasuke like a ton of bricks. _'I guess I could ask him how he got so strong. It couldn't hurt.'_

-=0000000=-

Kakashi watched as his student pulled himself from the ground and made his way towards them. Sasuke was exhausted, but he had a gleam in his eyes that Kakashi had never seen before.

"Do- Naruto. Can I ask you something important?" Naruto turned to the voice of Sasuke.

"I guess... What's up, Sasuke?"

Sasuke fidgeted, and squirmed a bit. "How- How did you get so strong?"

Naruto looked at the clouds overhead, orange in the light of the setting sun. "Well, I guess I'm strong because of my teammates, and my friends. I really can't explain it that well."

Sasuke looked at him, and grunted. He was hoping for some top secret training he could take, or something, not that sappy answer he got. "Fine, keep your secrets, I'll get stronger on my own," he said, before storming away.

Naruto sat, confused. "But, there's no secret. My friends give me my strength...'

Kakashi sighed, wondering if his student was a lost cause, or just misguided in his youth.

-=0000000=-

Sakura and Anko were sitting with Hana, the setting sun washing over them. They'd exhausted themselves, learning their jutsu, but they were making good progress.

Sakura could fire a jet of water from her mouth, but it only lasted a few moments. With time and practice, she learned it could be pressurized to the point that it could cut through a kunai like a hot knife through butter.

Anko had made better progress, and was able to pull her target under easily. Now all she had to work on was her speed with the attack, since the faster it happened, the less time the target had to respond. Hana was pretty sure her quick progress was because her chakra was more potent than the others. She remembered asking the Sandaime about it after their meeting with the snake summon.

_- Flashback -_

"_Hokage-sama, I just met with a snake summon." The Sandaime looked up quickly, his eyes alert. Hana smiled and finished her statement. "It said that Anko's chakra was more potent than others, like it was denser. Is this some sort of side effect of the Curse Seal?"_

_Sarutobi sighed, his fears of Orochimaru returning laid aside. "Anko can still summon then? Well, having the snakes back in Konoha is a good thing. _

"_As for Anko's chakra, Jiraiya felt it the day he removed the Seal. He thinks that the Curse Seal placed an artificial limit on Anko's growth, which would have caused her to draw on the power of the seal to progress, if she had been obsessed with gaining power. That artificial limit didn't stop her chakra reserves from growing, though, and the result was twelve years of her chakra being compressed and bottled forcibly."_

_Hana thanked the Sandaime, then turned and left his office._

_- End -_

"Girls, we're done for the day. Tomorrow morning we have guard duty, so get a good nights rest. Just relax here while you catch your breath, then head to the house." The two Genin nodded. Sakura leaned toward Anko and tapped her to get her attention.

"So, is he a good kisser?" Anko looked at her friend, and turned the same shade of pink as her hair.

"Oh my god, he's good. It wasn't anything more than kissing, but he does this thing with his tongue..." Sakura let out a small squeak, and started turning red. Anko laughed at her friend, knowing that that would get her.

"Anko, that's not nice," Sakura said, pouting. "Don't forget, he loved me first." Anko giggled.

" Yeah, but he _kissed_ me first." Sakura nodded. The two girls got to their feet and headed for Tazuna's house, continuing their conversation.

"Yeah, from what I can see, I was a real screw up. A real bitch even. I was mainly mean to him because my mother told me he was a bad person, that he'd only get me in trouble. I never knew it was because he's the container of you-know-what."

Anko smiled sadly. "You know that any memories from before my seal was removed are gone, except for the ones concerning Naruto-kun, right? Well, one of my first memories of him was when I first met him.

"He'd accidentally run into me while being chased by ANBU. I watched as he took off after apologizing, and wondered how an academy student could outrun a full squad of elite ninja. I broke down laughing right then and there." Sakura sighed.

"First time I met him, we were about six or seven. I was really self-conscious about my forehead, and a bunch of girls were picking on me, making fun of it. Naruto must have been nearby and heard me crying, because next thing I knew, he was there, yelling at those girls to leave me alone. One tried to punch him, and he bit her, right on the wrist. She ran off to find her mom, and her friends went with her, screaming that the wild kid had given Ami rabies."

Anko heard the last part and started laughing. "Wow... people are fucking stupid." The girls left it there, Tazuna's house having come into view. They met up with Naruto, who was a few feet behind Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, Anko-hime!" he called to them, eliciting a blush from Anko. "How'd you two do? I got my jutsu down in one day!"

"We got the basics down, but I need to get faster, and Sakura needs to get more chakra to make her's more then a glorified squirt gun." Naruto smiled at the two, then hugged them both.

"Awesome, you guys... er, girls!" The members of Team Seven laughed, and the girls each planted a kiss on Naruto's cheeks, right over his whisker marks. Naruto couldn't help himself when a deep rumbling was momentarily heard from his chest.

Anko blinked owlishly, and Sakura stood there with a blank look on her face. Both were thinking along the same lines. _'Did he just purr?'_ Naruto answered their unasked question.

"You didn't hear that." Both girls kissed him again, then burst out laughing.

-=0000000=-

The members of Team Seven, along with Kakashi and his apprentice were eating dinner when a small boy walked in the door to Tazuna's house. He took his shoes off, and took a step into the room, then noticed the strange sandals lined up against he wall. He looked at each ninja in the room before he spoke. "You're all gonna die, you know. Gato is too strong to take down, even if you had a hundred ninja. You should go home now while you're still alive."

Naruto looked at the boy, then smiled. "Why do ya say that, kid?"

The kid stared at him and smiled, a smile that was as cold and as empty as a three day old ramen cup. "You're all gonna die, because there's no such thing as heroes, which you all try to play. No matter how much training you have, no matter how hard you fight, no matter how strong you are, you can't take out an army by your self."

Naruto scowled. "I'm trying to eat brat. Get off the pity wagon and go to bed or something, jeez."

Tsunami glared at her son. "Inari, these are the ninja your grandpa hired. They're here to help finish the bridge so we can hopefully be free soon."

"Pfft. Ninja, like they've ever had it rough, in their big village with all those expensive missions paying for all the stuff the people would ever need. The blonde looks like he's never had a hard day in his life, and that broody emo looks like he's royalty or something."

Sasuke preened, thinking he'd been complimented, but the other Genin were silent. Naruto stood up and turned to the boy. "Inari, is it? Let me show you something." Naruto pulled a kunai from his hip holster, a rusted, battered thing that had dark brownish stains on the blade. "See this? This kunai killed me."

Inari stared at the boy like he was mentally unstable. "Obviously," he said, his voice dripping sarcasm.

Naruto ignored the comment, and pulled his shirt off, revealing perfect skin, except for a single scar, above his heart. "I was five years old. I got jumped on my way home by a bunch of drunk villagers who blame me for something that happened the day I was born. It was out of my control, hell, it had nothing to do with me, but they still blamed me.

"I was found with that kunai in my chest, cold, and lifeless. I was rushed to the hospital, and they did everything to save me, under direct supervision of the Hokage. It took six minutes to revive me, and months of therapy after that to get me to where I am now. I was dead for a total of fifteen minutes before Kami saw fit to send me back here.

"I still experience side effects from that attack. I had trouble learning in school, but things I can do physically are no problem for me. I'm a little oblivious at times, and I can be childish. But I've managed to work around those parts of myself. So don't tell me you've had it rough. I was murdered by the people I work everyday to protect." Inari nodded, his eyes wide and full of tears. Naruto pulled his shirt down and put the rusty kunai back in his holster, before walking outside and into the night.

Everyone watched the normally happy blonde as he stormed out, then Sasuke grunted like always. "What a loser, making up a story like that just to get attention." Sasuke froze as a wave of killer intent hit him like a load of bricks. Every eye in the room was staring at him, many focused in rage.

"That wasn't a lie. Naruto's been through a lot before he joined the academy," Sakura said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah. He's a lot stronger than anyone here realizes. We're his teammates, and we've never even seen his true strength," Anko said, fighting tears, and the urge to rip out the Uchiha's throat. Sasuke sneered, his arrogance not allowing himself to see that he wasn't the only one who had had a hard childhood.

"How the hell do you know he wasn't lying? Or are you as stupid as he is?" he mocked, his voice reminding Anko of Mizuki's.

Kakashi grabbed his apprentice by the shoulder. "It was no lie. I know, because I was the ANBU that found Naruto and killed the guy who was laughing over his body." Sasuke's arrogant attitude dissipated quickly, and a sour taste welled up in his mouth.

Inari looked at the door that the blonde had gone through, and started crying.

**Glossary of Jutsu**

**Suiton: Mizurappa - Water Release: Violent Water Wave**

**Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu - Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique**

**Fūton: Reppūshō - Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm**


	8. Chapter 8 Sasuke's Meeting

**Author's Notes**: Yes, I made up Gato's first name. Kazuhiro translates to stone man, or man of stone. No particular meaning to the story, or to Gato himself. Maybe his dad was a stone mason, I dunno, it just sounded good. To everyone who reviewed, thanks. Your support is appreciated more than anyone knows, especially after my last few weeks. There are a few reviews I'd like to point out and answer here and now.

**Ladygoddess8: **Simple answer to the questions you posted. Naruto was five, and any use of yokai to heal damage as extensive as that suffered by the human brain after fifteen minutes of oxygen deprivation, would have killed the boy. Healing it was an on going process (note i said months of therapy. fifteen minutes of oxygen deprivation to the brain is considered bad, since brain cells start dying rapidly after five minutes. it would take years of therapy to be considered anything more than a child, in terms of capacity.) As for the scar, the fox, using as much delicacy as possible and focusing on keeping his vessel from being mentally handicapped for the rest of their existence, couldn't remove the scar. it was simply less pressing than the damage to the boy's gray matter.

**Darksnider05:** I answered one of your reviews before, where you criticized the _slight _Sasuke bashing that's present in this fic. I've seen much worse, yet _my_ story is cheapened by Sasuke and Sharingan bashing. If you don't like the fact that I bash on the Sharingan and Sasuke, every once in a while, then it saddens me to say that you don't need to read my fic, or if you do, don't review. I say that because, unlike your last review, where you tried to help me by giving me some advice, this was lacking in any form of _constructive_ criticism. As for Naruto never having to work for power, that's not true. Sure he has massive _potential, _but the manga and anime have both shown him training harder and longer than any other character in the series, often till he _collapses_ from c_hakra exhaustion._ On the extreme opposite is the Sharingan, which copied part of the Kage Buyo from Lee in a matter of moments, allowing Sasuke to use a bastardized version without having to work on learning or perfecting the moves.

**AFButler13, kashijin, Lord of Murder: **Thanks to all of you. It helps to know people out there care about others even if they've never met before. It's funny cause I had some one who won't be named write me an email and complain that I was making excuses about not getting done on time and that I had better get my chapter out this week, dead family or not. I almost quit right then and there. I couldn't believe that someone had the nerve to demand that I forget that my grandmother passed away less than two weeks ago, and write a chapter because he wanted it.

**Buzzbumble: **He could, except that, in my universe, I've given the council the ability to demote a shinobi if there is sufficient, _documented,_ reason... years of tardiness and flippancy is not befitting one who holds the rank of Jōnin, hmm?

**On a side note: **BTW... I don't understand, did I put up a _**pairing request here **_sign somewhere? I've had a few reviews and a bunch of PM's asking me to add a second girl into the mix, mainly Hinata (whom I adore, but isn't right in this story), or Kurenai, since she's Anko's _Fanon_ best friend, or even _weirder_ ones, like a **female Gaara**. I'm writing this story with a particular plot in mind. It started as a Naruto x Anko fic, but a subtle idea sprouted up, and this is gonna end as a Naruto x Anko x not-telling-you-cause-it's-not-your-concern-yet pairing, So please, everyone, STOP asking me to give you a certain pairing.

Anyways, here's Chapter 8

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 8**

Inari walked out his front door, looking for the blonde who had walked out moments before. He wasn't in immediate sight, so Inari walked down the porch that ran three sides of the house. On the side facing the sea, a young man sat watching the waves. "Naruto-san? Can I talk to you?:

Naruto turned to regard the boy, then nodded. Inari sat next to him, quiet at first. "I'm sorry about what I said. It's- well, I just miss my dad so much. He was a strong guy, but Gato destroyed my faith in heroes when he took my dad." Naruto turned to the boy, noting the tears in his eyes.

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

Inari nodded, then began to tell Naruto about the man he grew to love like a father.

_- Flashback -_

_Inari sat on the docks, a small puppy sitting next to him. It was a pleasant day, the sun blanketing the village in warmth. Inari didn't know how long he sat there, but his quiet afternoon was interrupted by the approach of Tokka and his cronies._

"_Hey cry baby! Where'd ya get the dog?" Inari pulled the puppy closer, but the older boy snatched it away. "Look, this pup's a mutt! OWW!" Tokka screamed, after the pup bit his hand hard enough to draw blood. Tokka slapped the poor animal and threw it into the water. Being a puppy, it began to struggle, not knowing how to swim yet._

"_Masako! Tokka, why'd you do that? She's not old enough to swim!" Tokka looked at Inari and laughed. _

"_If you're that worried, jump in after her!" Inari looked out over the water, but didn't jump. It wasn't because he didn't love the puppy, it was because, like the young canine, he didn't know how to swim. Tokka watched, then grew angry. "Stupid kid! Don't you care about the mutt?" Inari stood there frozen, unable to act. Tokka grew angrier, and with a yell of, "Get in there!" shoved Inari off the end of the docks._

_The three bullies watched as the boy and dog struggled in the water. After a moment, the dog began to paddle steadily, and made its way to shore, where it promptly ran off. Inari was a different matter. He slowly began to tire, and fell under the waves. The bullies were long gone, having run after the dog.. As the light of the surface got farther and farther away, Inari felt his lungs burning, and he knew he couldn't hold his breath much longer. His last thought before he passed out was 'I love you, mommy.'_

_- End -_

Inari stopped for a moment, drying his eyes. "I woke up hours later, on a beach, staring at the sun. A man named Kaiza had pulled me out of the water, then tracked down the bullies and told their parents what they had done. When I woke up, he fed me, then brought me back here. We hung out more and more, and he and my mother became close, and they eventually got married. I was so happy. I had a dad around again."

Naruto stared out over the water. "I always wondered what it felt like to have a father. The closest I've ever had is the Hokage, but I guess he's more like a grandfather." Naruto turned to face Inari, and saw the boy's eyes filling with tears.

"Hey, don't cry, man. There's no reason to cry when you're sad. It only makes it worse." Inari nodded, and dried his eyes. He smiled at Naruto, then continued telling the blonde about his step-father.

"Anyways, once Gato arrived, he began taking over. The man had so many goons and soldiers under him that we all felt as though it were pointless to fight, but my Dad told me one day, that he would fight Gato, and protect this village with his two arms, because he loved me and my mom, and everything about us, including our home. He fought against Gato a few times, and rallied a bunch of people to his side. Eventually though, those he fought along side of were killed in battle, or lost their will to fight. My dad never did though."

Inari stopped, tears threatening to fall again. "One night, he didn't come home from fishing. Turns out Gato had taken him prisoner." Inari lost control then, and began sobbing uncontrollably. Tsunami appeared out of nowhere, and took him inside, while Tazuna sat down next to the boy.

"I've never seen or heard him talk about Kaiza like that. I thought he would have broken down sooner," Tazuna said. A small cough was heard behind them, and Naruto turned to see his teammates and sensei sitting against the wall of the house. Sakura looked at Tazuna, and asked the question everyone was thinking.

"Tazuna-san, what happened to Kaiza? What happened to this country?"

Tazuna sighed. "Gato killed Kaiza in a public execution. He had him strapped to a wooden cross, in the middle of the village. He hung there, nearly lifeless already, his arms, the entirety of them, a single swollen, purple bruise. Gato stood there mocking us, laughing as we struggled to help our hero. One of his body guards drew his sword, and the villagers quieted."

_- Flashback -_

_Gato looked at the crowd, and laughed. He enjoyed the pain in their eyes, especially in the boy that stood near the fence, screaming out to his dad. "This man stands guilty of violating the policies set in place by the Gato Transport and Storage Corporation. As the head of said company, and new owner of the Nami no Kuni, I hereby sentence him to death." Gato sneered, and slowly leveled his gaze to each and every villager he could as he turned a full 360 degrees. "This... this is what happens to heroes." He made a small gesture with his hand, and the blade in Waraji's hand bit deep into the flesh at Kaiza's neck._

_- End -_

Everyone was quiet, slowly digesting what they had heard. Naruto spoke up first. "I guess I might have been a little rough on him. I think I should probably say sorry." Tazuna shook his head.

"My grandson needed that wake up call. It might be just what was needed to get him out of his depression. That and a finished bridge. You may not know it, but you're a beacon of hope to this village. All of you."

Everyone sat in silence, Team Seven's female members joining Naruto on the edge of the porch.

"Sakura-chan, Anko-hime. We won't disappoint them," he said confidently. The two girls, sitting on either side of him, nodded in agreement, Anko leaning in to kiss him for good measure.

"No, Naruto-kun, we won't. Let's get some sleep."

-=0000000=-

The rest of the week passed rather uneventfully. Kakashi got to his feet without the need for crutches after a few days of taking it easy. Naruto, Anko and Sakura were spending time together as always, but this was different. They often sat in corners and whispered to them selves, using their masks to keep other from reading their lips. Hana approached them one afternoon, after they had finished guard duty at the bridge.

"OK, Spill it, what are you pups up to?"

Naruto looked sheepish. "Um, eh... nothing?" Sakura felt her eye twitching at the wholly unconvincing statement, and Anko was checking Naruto's head for signs of an injury. Finding nothing, she sighed.

"I'm dating an idiot... Naruto-kun, that was the stupidest thing you've said in the last week. I mean honestly? We've been trying to figure this out for a while, and sitting in the open whispering doesn't exactly scream 'nothing going on' you know?" Hana cocked her head to the side.

"What're you three trying to figure out, hmm?" Her students looked at her, then shrugged.

"Debating something... We came up with a conclusion, and we were actually gonna bring it up to you later. I guess now's as good a time as any," Sakura started, having taken the role of primary strategist in the group. "We think Gato might try to get some leverage over Tazuna. The bridge builder's obviously not worried about his own death, since he hasn't stopped his bridge project." The Inuzuka's quick mind easily caught up to her students' train of thought, and immediately jumped aboard.

"You're thinking that Tazuna's family might be taken as hostages? It's a good possibility. There is that strange hunter-nin to account for." Hana thought for a moment, then called Kakashi and Sasuke over.

"My team has come up with a theory that has some merit. Tazuna's family might be in danger." Sasuke scoffed.

"Of course they are. Gato wants them dead, and the whole island is starving to death. How exactly did you make Jōnin?"

Hana narrowed her gaze, focusing it on the egotistic young man. "I made Jōnin because I have the experience and requisite skills. I'm wondering how _you_ managed to graduate, if you can't remember who outranks who here." Sasuke smirked.

"As if you could do anything. The council bends to my whims, all because they're afraid to lose the Sharingan." Hana smiled.

"Exactly. _The Sharingan_. They could care less for _you_, and you can still donate genetic material if you're in prison for Gross Insubordination in Hostile Territory. You won't enjoy it, and you'll be a virgin, since prisoners aren't allowed to have sex, but the village will still have the Sharingan. So, I suggest you remember the chain of command, and shut the hell up!" She turned to the others, a smile on her face.

"As I was saying, there's a good possibility that Gato will try to take prisoners as leverage over Tazuna, and the most likely targets are Tsunami-san, and Inari-kun." Kakashi nodded, agreeing with the Genins' theory.

"We'll need to post a guard here each day from now on." Hana nodded, and the two Jōnin began discussing guard duty, and adjusting schedules to allow for the added post.

-=0000000=-

Sasuke fumed. He'd never been so angry in his life. How dare the Inuzuka bitch, who came from one of the inferior clans in Konoha, dare threaten to call him up on charges. His sensei was higher ranked, and he wasn't stupid enough to treat the last Uchiha like that bitch had. Sasuke had had enough, but he decided to leave the area before he got into a deeper hole with the woman.

"I'm taking a walk. Don't wait up for me." The other three Genin, who were currently engrossed in a game of cards, nodded absently, and continued playing.

Sasuke left the village proper, and stalked into the forest. He kept moving until he reached the clearing where he had been tree climbing each morning. Sasuke saw the ability of the Genin on team seven, and wondered if his apprenticeship was a blessing, or a curse in disguise.

The Genin on teams had gotten so much stronger then they were before, though Sasuke had little doubt he could beat anyone of them easily, maybe even two at a time. Sasuke smirked at the moon, till a little voice in his mind spoke up, the same voice that had given him the drive to get stronger, to gain the power to take his revenge.

_'Except for Naruto. If you were to beat him, it would be a huge step towards my destruction, little brother. Remember, without hate, you will never defeat me.'_

Sasuke stiffened, then felt an uncontrollable rage over take him. Sasuke began making hand signs, and soon, fireballs could be seen flying in every direction in the clearing. Nothing was safe from his rage, from his wrath, and though he had become stronger, his rage was fueled by the fact that Itachi had undoubtedly gotten stronger as well.

Mere minutes after it started, the rage dissipated, and an exhausted Sasuke slumped to the ground, his last conscious thought a depressing one. _'I wonder if I can ever catch up to him.'_

-=0000000=-

Birds chirped cheerfully as the forest woke up with the sun. The early morning mist burned away, the sun's rays beating it back in the eternal battle between daylight and shadows. A slender figure walked silently through the trees, occasionally bending down to pick a few plants before moving on. Moving slowly, meandering as if there were not a care in the world that would affect her, the young one eventually came upon a clearing that looked as if it had been devastated by battle. Scorch marks adorned several trees, and there were several burning stumps where white-hot flames still flickered. At the center was a raven haired boy, sleeping on his back, arms and legs splayed out, as if he'd simply collapsed from exhaustion.

Sasuke groaned, his eyes fluttering in the morning light. He shivered, and wondered where his blanket had gone. Then it hit him, and he remembered where he was.

_'Dammit! Itachi's voice... I heard it again last night. What happened?'_ he thought, as he surveyed the damage. His eyes floated passed a person in a pink kimono, then snapped back when he realized he didn't feel their chakra signature.

The person smiled, and spoke in a feminine voice. "Are you ok? I was out for my morning walk, and I saw you lying there." Sasuke sighed. He didn't feel a signature because it was a civilian who had approached him.

Sasuke sat up, then grunted. "Yeah, I am. What happened here? Was I ambushed?" The person, a girl, Sasuke decided after he got a good look, shook her head.

"I don't know, I'm sorry." She then spotted the hitai-ate on his head, and pointed at it. "Are you a ninja?"

Sasuke nodded, preoccupied by the memories of his actions the night before as they came flooding back into his mind. "Yeah... I remember now. I was angry, and I was training last night." Sasuke shook his head, not sure why he was opening up to this strange girl.

"Were you training to get stronger? If so, I'd say you're pretty strong as it is," she said, surveying the damage to the area. "You must have someone very important you want to protect if you work this hard to become strong. Do you have someone precious that you'd give everything for?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I train to get stronger for one reason. I need power to defeat my brother and avenge my clan. There is no other reason." The girl smiled sadly.

"Revenge is a good motivator, but protecting a loved one, giving your self to that person is where the greatest strength comes from. When you give your all for another, you become stronger than any act of revenge could ever make you." Sasuke smirked.

"Whatever. You sound like the dobe of my class, Naruto. He's always spouting off about being Hokage and protecting everyone. As if a loser like him could be Hokage." The girls looked at him and shook her head.

"He seems like the kind of man who would be a great leader." The girls stood up, having finished picking her herbs while they sat and talked. "You would be wise to take after him."

Sasuke stood up, but stumbled, and fell forward. The girl, caught by surprise, could do nothing as the boy fell on her. Sasuke did his best to keep her from harm, and rolled his body under hers, keeping her from being hurt by his falling body.

When the pair landed, it was awkward. Sasuke had landed hard, and gasped when he hit the ground. The girl landed hard as well, but the shock was absorbed by the young man's body.

"Ahh!" Sasuke screamed, as several rocks, jagged and sharp, dug into his back. The girl quickly leaped to her feet, then knelt next to him.

"Thank you for protecting me. Why though, if you are an avenger?" Sasuke grunted, his face strained. Rolling to his stomach, he looked at he girl and smiled. "I don't... know. There's... something about you... that I feel this... urge... to be near."

The girl smiled. "Let me help." She lifted the boy's shirt, and pulled out the small sharp rocks that were embedded in his flesh. She then rubbed a healing ointment over the wounds that she removed from her basket. "There. This is a fast acting ointment. The wounds should be healing soon." She stood up, and helped Sasuke to his feet.

"What's your name, miss?"

"Haku... my name is Haku." She said as she walked away. At the edge of the clearing, she turned back to the boy.

"By the way, I'm a boy. Have a nice afternoon."

Sasuke stood there for a moment, confused as to what had just happened, then suddenly leaned over and vomited, realizing that he'd been thinking about a fellow male in ways that should never be mentioned out loud.

-=0000000=-

By the end of the week, everyone from Konoha had recovered fully. Training had been suspended in order for everyone to be ready for the battle they knew was coming.

Naruto was fuming, and agitated. He'd been assigned guard duty at the house, while the rest of the Genin had gone to the bridge with Tazuna. He'd been making steady progress, and would hopefully be done on time. Meanwhile, Naruto sat on the roof, using a kunai to carve on a hunk of wood. It wasn't because he had any artistic talent, he was just _so_ bored.

Naruto jumped when he heard voices coming from below, two of them, ones he'd never heard before. He glanced around and realized it was much later in the day than he realized. _'Dammit, I must have fallen asleep up here!'_

Leaping to his feet, Naruto raced to to the edge of the roof and leaped down, twisting around to see Tsunami captive, and Inari rush the two men who held his mother captive.

Naruto used the distraction to his advantage, and used kawarimi to replace himself with Tsunami, then again to replace himself with a log. At the last moment, he grabbed Inari and appeared next the terrified woman.

"I hope you guys are better than that. I've been _so bored_, I can barely stand it." The swordsmen looked at each other and charged, sunlight glinting off the wickedly sharp steel they held. Naruto grinned, and drew his kunai-like sword. "I may not be a master swordsman, but I can already tell you, I win."

The swordsmen felt themselves becoming enraged. The one in the skullcap turned to the scarred one and snarled. "Waraji, I'm going high." The scarred one, now known as Waraji, nodded.

"I'll go low then, Zōri."

The two slashed their swords at the stated height, but at the last second, changed their weapons trajectory, the deadly blades coming toward Naruto from the opposite angles. Naruto, his mind working overtime to compensate, quickly torqued his body into a midair barrel roll, spinning between the blades as they passed harmlessly within a few inches of his body. As he landed, he lashed out with his blade, the tip severing the tendon in the leg of the one called Zōri. Screaming in pain, he fell to the ground. Naruto quickly silenced him by sliding the edge of the man's own katana across his throat, the flesh opening like a ripe fruit, his lifeblood staining the wooden deck crimson.

Waraji stood stunned for a moment, then slashed viciously at Naruto, his blade a blur as he rained blow upon blow on the burgeoning swordsman. Naruto had to use everything in his arsenal to keep from losing a limb under the man's vicious assault.

"You bastard ninja brat! You killed my best friend and I plan to end you here and now!" he cried, emphasizing each word with a swing of his sword. Naruto held his own, until he stumbled and slipped in Zōri's blood. Everything seemed to slowdown as he saw his life flash in front of his eyes. His first kiss, his first friend, everything he'd grown to love. All of it seemed destined to end with this final swing of his opponent's blade.

Naruto hit the ground and closed his eyes, waiting for the killing blow, but it never came. He slowly opened them to find Waraji standing over him. He was staring at his own chest, trying to understand what he was seeing: a foot-long steel rod, sharpened to a point, was buried there, right in his heart.

Naruto quickly rolled away as the body began to fall. He turned to find Inari standing there, a pot-turned-helmet on his head and a crossbow in his hands.

"I- I- I killed him! I just... wanted to scare him! I'm sorry!" he wailed as tears formed in his eyes.

Naruto looked at him and said two words which stopped his tears cold. "Thanks, Inari."

"Why?"

"You proved that there are still heroes in Wave. Kaiza would be proud. You know. You did what he always said he would. You protected your mom. You killed a man, yeah, but he would have killed me, then you guys, and who knows who else. You're as much a hero as Kaiza, or me."

Inari watched his new idol, then smiled, the first one he'd ever shown Naruto. The blonde smiled back, then turned serious. "If this happened here, then there's a battle at the bridge. I need to get there. Inari, get as many of the villagers as you can and come to the bridge." Inari nodded and ran off, hoping to raise enough support to defend their homes like they should have long ago.

Naruto turned and ran, sprinting as fast as he could, one thing running through his mind. '_I have to make it, I have to be on time.'_


	9. Chapter 9 The Battle on the Bridge

**Author's Notes**: I didn't like last chapter. It came out feeling forced, but it was the best idea I had for the forest confrontation with Haku, so I figured have a bit of fun with Sasuke.

I know Naruto seemed weak in his fight with the two samurai (yes, Zōri and Waraji are not swordsmen, but samurai, according to the first official data book), but it was with reason. Naruto easily defeated the one with the hat, Zōri. Waraji and Zōri are friends and comrades, and Waraji basically went berserk on Naruto, who tried using a weapon he was untrained in, which was his first mistake, to defeat opponents of unknown skill, his second mistake. Naruto used every skill he possessed to defend against Waraji, and lost track of his surroundings, which resulted in his slipping in the puddle of blood pouring out of the dead guys slit throat. Besides, it gives Inari an image boost when he nails the fighter with a crossbow bolt in the chest.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

**" words"** = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 9**

Kakashi and Hana walked behind Tazuna, who was himself behind the three Genin on bridge duty. The bridge was progressing well, and would soon be finished. Tazuna estimated that he'd be done within a couple of weeks. The cyclopean Jōnin couldn't have been happier, but kept his emotions controlled on the surface. This entire mission had been one snag after another, and frankly, the man had had enough.

Kakashi was shaken from his inner reverie when Hana and the others stopped short. The bridge was up ahead, but it was covered in a dense mist. Kakashi could barely make out the outlines of people, no, the outlines of bodies, lying everywhere.

Kakashi made a hand signal, and the trio of Genin took a defensive formation around the bridge builder, as the fog thickened and surrounded their position..

The Genin stiffened as a disembodied voice floated out over the bridge. Hana crouched low, and Kakashi drew a pair of kunai as the voice taunted them.

"I see you're up and running, Kakashi. Still got those brats with you, too." Sasuke felt his hands twitch, and the voice taunted him. "Look, he's shaking. Can't really teach battle experience, can you Kakashi?" Sasuke grinned.

"I'm shaking, with anticipation." As soon as the words left his mouth, the mist was pushed back by a pulse of chakra, revealing several Zabuza clones waiting to strike. Kakashi looked at Sasuke and nodded, one word escaping his masked lips.

"Go."

Sasuke jumped into action. In an instant, Sasuke was back to defending the bridge builder, and the Zabuza clones were nothing but puddles on the concrete where they stood.

The mist cleared away, to reveal Zabuza standing at the other end of the bridge, along with a few bandits, and his masked accomplice from earlier. "It seems you have a rival in speed, Haku." Sasuke flinched, but no one noticed, focused as they were on the battle.

"I'll fight this one," Sasuke declared, taking a step forward and readying himself.

Zabuza began to laugh. "Oh, he's a cocky one! Haku, take him down a peg or two."

"As you wish, Zabuza-sama. Besides, he can't be that strong. Those clones were only one-tenth the strength of the original." Haku rushed at Sasuke, a blur in everyone's eyes. The masked ninja suddenly appeared in front of the raven haired Genin, lashing out with a senbon. Sasuke surprised the fake hunter by parrying the blow, then countering with a slash of his own.

Kakashi and the others watched as the two traded blows back and forth, neither giving or gaining an inch. Then the tide of battle shifted, and the two combatants came to a standstill, kunai locked against needle.

"I see our abilities thus far are evenly matched. That is where our similarities end. You seem to be using all your skill just to combat me, whereas I haven't even tried yet. I wish for you to back down, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke grunted, then locked eyes with his adversary.

"As if. I'm not one to back down."

Haku sighed. "I didn't want to kill you, but you leave me no choice. I'll let you know now, I'm at the advantage here. I have already played two preemptive moves. The first is the immense amount of water _you_ supplied me with, after destroying Zabuza-sama's clones. The second is keeping one of your hands busy defending against my attacks. Because of this, you are at a distinct disadvantage." Sasuke smirked, but his facial expression turned to one of fear and confusion as his opponent began to use one-handed seals.

-=0000000=-

Kakashi stiffened. _'One handed seals? This is bad!'_ The silver haired Jōnin made to move, but Zabuza leaped in his way, and the two bandits started to circle the group. Anko and Sakura followed them, while Hana guarded the bridge builder.

"Kakashi, I'm your opponent here. Don't forget that. Let's jut sit back a moment and watch how this goes, hm?" Kakashi examined the situation, then nodded. He'd already calculated the outcomes of several options currently open to him, and none were favorable. _'Do it, Sasuke,' _he thought, watching his student battle the masked shinobi.

-=0000000=-

Sasuke regained his composure as his opponent stomped on the ground, a swirl of water rising into the air. "**'Sensatsu Suisho'**," Haku said, never looking away from the target. Sasuke quickly cycled through his options, and quickly realized he had no jutsu he could use to counter this.

_'Dammit Kakashi-baka! I'm gonna die, all cause you didn't teach me any one-handed jutsu.' _Sasuke thought, his eyes frantic. Suddenly, an idea hit hit him. _'It just might work.'_

As the water floating in the air around them became needles sharper than any senbon made of steel, Haku made a final seal, and the needles sped toward Sasuke, reaching speeds that the eye couldn't see. Haku leaped away at the last moment, leaving Sasuke to be hit by the needles.

Haku gasped in shock as the dust from the attack cleared and Sasuke was gone. The false hunter was even more shocked when a cocky voice spoke up from behind.

"You're kind of stupid, aren't you, thinking that was enough to take me out. Don't worry, it's my turn now, and you'll be defending against my attacks." Sasuke slashed at Haku, who slid under the slash, and counterattacked with a trio of senbon held between the fingers, like make-shift claws. Sasuke parried the blow, once again locking up with the masked ninja. "This is where you're at a disadvantage. I know your tricks, but can you handle mine?" Sasuke asked. Haku prepared for a jutsu, and barely managed to weave out of the way when Sasuke threw a kunai from his off-hand.

Sasuke grinned when he saw Haku dip low to dodge the kunai he had thrown. With as much force as he could muster, he kicked Haku in the head, throwing the ninja back several yards from the strength of the blow. "Hmm, it seems I'm faster than you."

Zabuza couldn't believe his eyes, as his follower was thrown down and beaten by a Genin. _'Never thought I'd see Haku beaten in speed.'_

Haku slowly got to his feet, eyes now locked on to the boy from the forest. "I guess you won't be backing down. Fine then." Haku staggered toward the Leaf Genin, the air growing colder with each step. Kakashi could feel his breath freezing as it left his lungs, and Sakura shivered. "**'Makyō Hyōshō'**" Haku intoned, hands in a strange seal.

Sasuke watched in morbid fascination as several large sheets of ice rose up out of no where all around him. They formed a dome, several floating in the air with no support at all, as if the laws of gravity didn't apply to them.

Haku walked to one of the mirrors, and placed a hand on the polished surface. Everyone watched as Haku seemed to melt into the construct, becoming one with the sheet of frozen water.

**== Moments Earlier ==**

Anko was watching the confrontation between her fellow leaf nin and the masked shinobi, when one of the bandits that was with Zabuza attacked. Anko's kunai clashed against the small hooked dagger that the other held, the ring of steel on steel alerting the observers that another battle had started.

Anko pressed against the dagger, then suddenly stopped and fell back, bending at the knees. The bandit, unprepared for the maneuver, stumbled forward, only to be thrown back by a vicious kick to the chin, as Anko leaned into a rear-handstand. As she flipped back to her feet, the bandit growled, then lunged again, dipping low at the last moment, in an attempt to sweep her. Anko jumped, but her opponent surprised her when he reached out and grabbed her ankle, then tossed her into the guard rail at the edge of the bridge.

Wincing, Anko stood and grinned. Her only elemental jutsu was worthless here, but she had a secret that she'd kept from her sensei, not willing to show her teacher or her teammates until it was ready.

_- Flashback -_

_Anko sat in the forest after training, conversing with a small summon she'd befriended, a female viper named Silva. They were discussing various ways to use the snakes in her hebi style taijutsu, when Silva asked Anko why she no longer used the lesser summoning skills she once did._

_Anko looked at her, confusion apparent on her face. "Huh? What do you mean, lesser summoning skills?"_

_Silva looked at Anko, confused, then remembered that many of her memories were gone. "The lesser summoning arts are a set of skills that our summoner can use just like regular jutsu. There are benefits too. The user doesn't need hand seals, just a bit of chakra."_

_Anko grinned. "What's the easiest one to learn?"_

_Silva smiled, if you could call it that. "That would be the **'Sen'eijashu'**."_

_- End -_

Anko grinned as the thug came into range. She'd only been training with the skill for a week, but she could already call up two snakes from each sleeve.

The poor miscreant never saw what hit him, as snakes shot out of Anko's sleeves, each with fangs bared and dripping poison. The man's screams were cut short by a snake that bit into his throat, causing it to swell up and close.

-=0000000=-

While Anko battled her adversary, Sakura, too, was locked in combat. She was struggling against the greater strength of a burly woman who seemed more masculine than most men. As they circled, the bandit grinned, then seemed to phase out of existence. Sakura gasped for air as the thug put her in a head lock, moving faster than her size belied. Quickly thinking, Sakura dropped her weight, and shifted forward as best as she could.

The sudden increase in weight caused the bandit to loosen her grip, thinking the pinkette was unconscious. When she did, she was met with a violent rising palm strike to the chin. Sakura felt the woman's teeth rattling together, and felt a warm spray as blood shot out of the bandit's mouth, along with a piece of her tongue.

The woman stared at the rose-haired girl in front of her, then started shaking badly. Sakura prepared for the worst, then relaxed as her opponent fell to the ground. Sakura sighed as she realized that the woman had gone into shock, and would probably die.

Sakura approached the woman, still wary. In an act of mercy, she quickly jammed a kunai into the back of the woman's skull, ending her existence. _'Wow, she was fast, for a big girl. Probably an ex-ninja.'_

-=00000000=-

Hana watched as her students dispatched the bandits with ease. She worried about Sakura for a moment, knowing that she wasn't the fastest fighter, but relaxed when she saw her end the fight in a single strike, then her opponents life in another.

The rookie Jōnin considered summoning the Haimaru Triplets, but decided against it. She was a good shinobi, and as an Inuzuka, a damn good fighter, but she knew when to hang back and act as a support unit, and this was one of those times.

"Sakura, Anko! Back in defensive formation Delta-4." The two girls nodded, and watched as several large sheets of ice grew around Sasuke and the ninja known as Haku. Even though there was animosity between the Genin, they both asked Kami to look out for their comrade.

-=0000000=-

Sasuke winced in pain as something, a senbon he assumed, tore across his shoulder. He didn't have time to register the action before another tore across his arm, jarring his kunai loose. A third streak of... something, and a metallic clang signaled the loss of his weapon as it spun away.

Haku's voice floated into his ears. "Now, allow me to show you my true speed."

Naruto arrived on the bridge in time to see Sakura whip a kunai towards a dome of ice where Sasuke was currently kneeling, while Anko and Hana guarded the old man. Naruto was shocked, though, when a hand and head reached out of the ice sheet and caught the kunai. Naruto quickly pulled a shuriken out of his pouch and hurled it. The weapon whistled with the force of the throw, and a resounding clack could be heard as the deadly spinning disk cut a gash along the mask that was sticking out of the ice. The power behind the blow threw the masked ninja out of the ice, and Naruto recognized the fake hunter nin from before.

Acting quickly, Naruto made a Kage bunshin and told it to approach from the far side of the bridge, with instructions to be as loud and conspicuous as possible. The clone nodded and ran off, while Naruto used the tree walking exercise to run along the side of the bridge towards his team.

-=0000000=-

Anko watched as the shuriken struck the boy in the mask, wondering where it had come from. Moments later, her question was answered when a huge cloud of smoke erupted from the bridge, accompanied by the sound of firecrackers. Everyone watched with varying degrees of interest as the smoke cleared to reveal... Naruto, standing in a ridiculous pose.

"Hey, Hana-sensei, Looks like I gt here in the nick of time. Heroes usually show up to save the day at the last moment, right?" Naruto yelled, as he took a more aggressive stance. "Alright, here goes! **'Kage Bunshin-'**' he started, before being cut off.

"Baka! Making a conspicuous entrance like that is going to get you killed. Kinda like painting a target on your back that says 'Kill me, please'. Then you start a jutsu in front of the enemy? Remember, deception is a ninja's greatest tool."

Naruto began to panic, running in circles and crying that he was too young to die.

Anko and Sakura watched as their teammate made a fool of himself. They never expected for him to pop up in their midst, grinning like a cat who just ate a canary.

"So, he's doing his job, time to do ours, eh girls?"

Anko and Sakura opened their mouths, then quickly caught themselves. "So, that's a clone then? Good diversion. What are we gonna do?" Sakura asked. Naruto stared at her, then at Anko, then back to Sakura.

"I dunno. I figured you'd come up with something. I'm just here to make sure what ever you plan happens." Sakura slammed a palm into her forehead, and groaned. "I was gonna just sneak in and try to get him out, but that guy is fast. I'd've probably gotten stuck, or something."

Hana surveyed the battle field, noting that Naruto's clone had been thrown from the bridge after a single attack from the masked ninja, and sighed. "I'll stay here, with Sakura, her genjutsu would take to long to set up, and we don't have the time. You two assault the outside of that dome, and try to get Sasuke to attack from the inside." The two nodded to their sensei, and took off toward the dome.

-=0000000=-

Sasuke screamed as another salvo of senbon tore across, around and through his body. _'I'm gonna die on this stupid mission, all because my sensei is an idiot that wouldn't give me the power I demanded,' _the last Uchiha thought as he saw the next barrage of needles approaching. _'Wait, what? I can see the needles. It's as if everything is just a little clearer, slightly more... defined.' _Sasuke quickly grabbed a needle from the ground, and attempted to block the incoming assault. He managed to deflect half of the needles, but for every one blocked, one tore new wounds into his body.

_'Damn! I've awakened my Sharingan, but I'm still too slow. I need to get out of here.' _Sasuke began to look around frantically. He noticed the two members of Team Seven outside the dome, attacking the mirrors ferociously, launching snakes, shuriken, kunai, and even explosive tags at the sheet of ice. It was waste though, as any damage done was regenerated by the crystalline sheets moments after it occurred.

-=0000000=-

Kakashi glanced at Zabuza, then took a step towards the two fighters. Zabuza stepped in his way, and grinned. "He may have two guards there, but if you move, the die. Now, if you're getting a little antsy, we can play for a while." Kakashi drew a kunai as Zabuza slipped into a strange stance, on hand on the hilt of his zanbatou, the other in his pocket. With his free hand, Kakashi put his hand to his head band.

"I guess I have no choice but to use this again." Zabuza began to laugh.

"A ninja shouldn't show off his greatest skill so often."

"You should feel honored then, you're the first to see it twice, and you'll also be the last.

Zabuza simply smiled as he vanished into the mist.

-=0000000=-

Haku looked at the boy in the center of the icy construct. "Sasuke-kun, I do not wish to kill you. I ask again. Back down." Sasuke stood defiantly, glaring at the image in front of him, wondering if it was real. Haku recognized the look in his eyes, ans sighed. "Very well, then. I will truly kill my emotions, crushing them beneath my heel. I will become the true shinobi, and I will kill you."

Sasuke watched as the needles approached him, clearly visible with his Sharingan active. He was prepared to defend, but at the last possible moment, he flew through a set of hand seals that had become second nature to him.

A single scream tore across the bridge, startling birds and animals in the forest. Moments later, another scream was heard, this one not of pain, but of rage.

-=0000000=-

Naruto could only stare in horror as his girlfriend, one of the few people who accepted him, was torn apart by hundreds of needles. Anko fell to the ground, hard, and blood began to seep from the wounds. Sasuke stood on the outside of the dome, bloody and tired, having replaced himself with Anko through an academy jutsu.

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto yelled, as he slammed his knuckles into the head of the last Uchiha. Sasuke, already worn down by the constant attacks from Haku, simply collapsed. Naruto slipped into the ice dome, his mind consumed by sorrow.

Kneeling by her body, Naruto searched desperately for a pulse, but couldn't locate it. As he sobbed over her fallen form, his thoughts were all replaced by rage, no coherent thoughts able to make their way through the red haze that had invaded his mind.

Malevolent energy filled the air, as if the atmosphere itself were statically charged. Naruto lifted his eyes to Haku, the once happy, blue eyes now red and slitted. "**RRRAAAAGHHHH!**" he screamed as a strange red chakra poured out of his body. The massive amount of energy burst out of every pore of his skin, and the resulting shock wave shattered the mirrors, sending Haku flying. Naruto picked up Anko's body and took her to Hana. Then he turned back to the masked boy.

"**You killed one of the few people I've ever loved, one of the people I swore to protect with my life.**" Naruto rushed Haku, running on all fours. Kakashi and Zabuza, who had been fighting, stopped to watch in fear as the blonde fought like a wild animal.

Naruto swiped his hands at Haku over and over again, the claw like nails tearing through cloth and flesh like it was nothing. Haku resisted the urge to cry out, but let a few tears slip from his masked eyes.

Naruto growled, and stared at the boy who now lay bleeding on the ground. " **Fight back! Fight me!**" Haku just shook his head. Naruto looked at him, then cocked back, and punched him in the face as hard as he could, shattering the armored clay mask he wore.

Haku's body skittered along the bridge coming to rest on the far side. Slowly, Naruto stalked over to him, and yanked him up by the hair. "**You said it to the teme. I don't want to kill you, but you've forced me to crush my heart beneath my heel and become a true shinobi, a killer without emotion.**" Haku looked at the slitted red eyes of his captor, and cried. Naruto looked at him, and lowered his hand.

"**Why are you crying? Is it because you are afraid to die? Or is it something else?**" Haku looked at him.

"I've never killed before."

Naruto shook the boy. "**Then why! Why her! Why the only person who always accepted me, no matter what? TELL ME WHY, DAMMIT!**"

Haku looked into his captors eyes, fighting the fear he felt, but said nothing. Naruto, in a moment of rage, drove his fist through the boys chest, his nails piercing Haku's heart. Haku smiled, and simply said, "I'm sorry." Naruto dropped the boy, and fell to his knees, a grief-stricken howl erupting from his throat.

-=0000000=-

Kakashi watched as Zabuza froze, the pure rage fueling the boy's howl freezing him in place. Kakashi was affected to, but his experiences with the Kyūbi made this seem like a toddler's temper tantrum. Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Kakashi slipped a scroll from his vest pocket, biting his thumb as he unraveled it. With a flourish, he swiped his bloody digit across the parchment and began to twirl it around himself, every movement mesmerizing. Then with a sense of finality, he twisted the scroll just so, and it snapped shut, resting across his folded hands. "**'Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu'**," Kakashi whispered as he slammed the scroll into the ground.

Zabuza watched as nothing happened, laughing the whole time. "My turn." A thick mist began to envelope the area, but stopped and dissipated when Zabuza screamed in pain. When the mist cleared, Zabuza saw what had attacked him. Latched onto his body were several ninja dogs, each wearing a Konoha hitai-ate.

"You've seen my greatest weapon twice, Zabuza, now witness the only jutsu I can truly call my own!"

Kakashi grabbed his wrist after flipping through a short series of seals. After a moment, pure, _**visible**_, chakra began to accumulate. "This... This is **'Chidori'**," he said, as he suddenly appeared in front of the restrained swordsman, inches from his face. Zabuza was confused at first, as to why he hadn't attacked. He never realized he was already dying as he sank to the ground, and into death.

Kakashi watched as the man died, saying a small prayer as he did for all his foes. Once he finished, he closed the man's eyes, and turned away.

-=0000000=-

Naruto was still kneeling on the bridge, but the red chakra had receded, most likely back into the seal. Kakashi walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You did what you had to. I guess I should thank you for saving my student, though. I wasn't paying attention, so I missed how you did it."

Naruto snarled, the rage returning to his eyes. "Kakashi-_san_, your student is going to die. Either by my hand, or by the hand of he executioner. He used _my girlfriend_ as a _replacement object_, in order to save his _own_ ass. If the council lets him off, keep him close, because I **will destroy the Uchiha**."

Kakashi looked at the blonde with a bit of fear, then turned to his unconscious student, disgust in his eye. "Don't worry, he'll be punished, one way or another. Just don't do anything to get the council after you." Naruto looked at the silver haired soldier, who simply smiled back at him. "I wish I had been able to act as your Jōnin sensei. Maybe in another life, eh?"

The chat was interrupted by the sound of murmuring on the end of the bridge.

"Well, I guess he's not getting paid. I take it you're to thank for that. Unfortunately, this leaves us at an impasse. You see, I need that old man back there dead, and you're in the way. SO on the one hand,m you save me more money than you can imagine, but on the other, you're guarding the guy I want to destroy."

The ninja turned to see a short man with frizzy hair standing with a crowd of thugs, mercenaries, and bandits. Gato smiled. "Easiest solution is always the best I suppose. Thanks," he said, smiling. Then his smile became a frown. "Kill them all." The bandits surged forward, but were met with resistance when the forerunners were found frozen to the ground, their legs encased in ice. Naruto, acting at that very instant, landed on Gato, his feet on the short mans chest, hands around his head.

"Everything that has happened here is because of you. DIE!" he screamed, finally giving into his rage as the red chakra returned. Gato was dead before he hit the ground, his neck snapped. Naruto tore into the ranks of men, tearing his way through them with wild abandon. He hoped, every time he neared an enemy, that he'd get hurt, just so he would stop feeling numb. Just so he'd feel something other than emptiness.

-=0000000=-

Hana pulled the last needle from Anko, and smiled as her eyelids fluttered open. "Good, you're alive. Stay down, and relax, get a bit of strength back. You'll need it. That kid had good aim. Every needle hit a non vital point, causing enough damage to put you on the edge and suspend you there."

"How's Naruto-kun? Is he ok? "

Sakura cringed. "He thought you died, and I think he lost it. He tapped into the fox's power and is currently fighting Gato's men."

-=0000000=-

Naruto killed another foot soldier, and another, stopping only to change direction. After a few moments, they were all dead, the pool of blood an inch deep. He began to look for another body to maim, when a voice he never thought he'd hear again called his name.

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun! Come here, please!" Naruto felt the rage, the anger, everything drain away, as he spun and ran towards the voice.

"ANKO! Anko-hime!" He slid to a halt and dropped, wrapping his arms around her. They both cried into the others shoulder, tears of both joy and relief.

Hana smiled, and hugged them both, then turned to Kakashi when he called her name.

-=0000000=-

Haku shivered, his body heavy. Kakashi and Hana stood over him, looking down on him. "Please, tell me something. Is the girl ok? I never meant for anyone to die, I've never killed. Even though Zabuza-sama trained me to be the perfect tool, I was flawed from the beginning." Haku coughed, blood pouring from his lips. "I wonder... Would I go to heaven, or is there a special hell for people like me? People with tainted blood like mine?"

Hana smiled sadly as she ran a diagnostic scanning jutsu over the boys wounds. Naruto's claws had delivered a fatal blow, and the boy was rapidly dying. _'It's over for him. He used the last of his chakra to freeze those guys in place. Even though we're the enemy, he tried to atone.' _"Haku, Anko is fine. I think... you'll have a special place in heaven." Kakashi nodded.

"Yep. It's the only place that a soul like yours could ever go." Haku smiled, as the last flickers of life left his body.

"Thank you." Kakashi once again said a prayer for his foe, who had fallen in battle, then closed his eyes, which showed innocence, even in death.

-=0000000=-

The bridge took another week to complete. During that time, Sasuke was allowed out of his restraints only to use the bathroom, or to eat, and then only with an escort. Anko made a full recovery, having been weakened for a few days.

Tsunami and Inari decided to come along to Konoha, so Inari could attend the Academy there. "I want to be a kick ass shinobi like Naruto-niisan, Anko-neesan and Sakura-neesan." After three days of pestering, she relented, though she'd secretly decided yes the first time he'd asked. Unfortunately, Tazuna was forced to stay behind, as he'd been elected mayor of the village. He brushed it off, saying he'd rather be in power.

When the group finally left, everyone from the village decided to see them off. As the village walked with them across the concrete and metal path, the villagers argued about what to call the bridge.

"How about the Super Tazuna Bridge, eh?" its builder suggested. It was quickly shot down.

"No way! The Great Naruto Bridge!"

Naruto smiled, flattered that the village thought so highly of him. "That'd be cool to have a bridge named after me, but I have the perfect name. The Kaiza Memorial Bridge. It's because of him that this is even possible. He gave everything for this village, and, I dunno, ignited the spark that helped get this bridge done."

Inari nodded, surprised that no one else thought of that. "It's perfect. The Kaiza Memorial Bridge."

Everyone cheered as the group took the first step from the bridge to the land on the other side, and they waved and celebrated until they all vanished over the horizon.

**Author's Note: AND SO... Ends the Wave Arc. Next time, the start of my original Arc.**

**For those who were curious, my time-line started just after the Chūnin exams previous to the ones in the story, so there are three months till they are in Konoha. I like hat better than the two months we see in the anime. **

**On a side note, I found a copy of ultimate ninja four at my local bamestop, and the fourth Hokage is playable after you meet certain conditions... WOW, what a BAMF!**


	10. Chapter 10 Returning Home

**Author's Notes**: I really don't have an excuse… I've been in the process of moving, but I'm done and this still wasn't finished as fast as it could have been. Hopefully, with my life getting back on track after the last two months or so, I'll actually be able to stick to a schedule when it comes to posting this, which is being changed to every two weeks, to allow me some lee way.

Anyways, here it is.

**Style Guide**

"words" = dialog

_"words"_ = whispered dialog

" words" = demon/summon dialog

_'words'_ = thoughts

_**'words'**_ = demon/summon thoughts

**== words ==** = location change

-=0000000=- = Character focus change/ time-skip in the same location

_-Flashback-_ = start of flashback

_-End-_ = end of flashback

**'words'** = Jutsu

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 10**

The gates of Konoha are considered to be one of the "Nine Great Wonders" of the Elemental Countries. Made of oak, and reinforced with iron bands, the gates hold many secrets known only to a few in the village. There are seals imbedded into the wood, designed to harden it to the point that metal snaps against it, along with countless others designed to keep the village safe in times of war. These massive constructs were the symbol of a journey's end for many shinobi, a symbol that simply said "Welcome Home".

Naruto had been excited to be leaving the village for the first time, when his team had been assigned to a mission gone wrong, a month back. Now, he realized that, even over all the things he'd endured by its inhabitants, the sight of those gates, the portal to his home, was one he'd always enjoy.

"Look! Hey, Hana-sensei, Sakura-chan! Anko-hime, I see the gates!" he cried, pointing and bouncing around like a school kid. The three women that comprised the rest of Team Seven giggled and grinned at the blonde's antics. Truth be told, they were all glad to be home as well.

Kakashi Hatake, another Jōnin instructor, was not so thrilled. He'd be turning his student over to the whims of Konoha's Military Court upon their return to the village. Sasuke Uchiha, a Genin, had been trapped fighting an opponent that was way out of his league. Using an academy skill, kawarimi, he escaped the fight, but with dire consequences. He'd used one of his fellow leaf ninja as the substitution, and almost got her killed. Kakashi still felt sick to his stomach whenever he thought about his student's answers to his questions.

_- Flashback -_

_Kakashi stared at the last Uchiha, waiting for the boy to return his gaze. When the boy did, Kakashi released a pinpoint dart of malevolent energy, what some called, "Killer Intent" at his head. The boy shuddered, and wilted under the man's stare._

"_Why did you use one of your fellow Genin as a substitution? There were plenty of other things around, tools, sandbags, even chucks of dislodged concrete."_

_Sasuke did his best to scoff. "I panicked, Kakashi. Besides, she should feel lucky to have served me so well. Maybe I'll reward her by letting her help rebuild the Uchiha." Sasuke shook his head. "Too bad I didn't get the dobe. I swear, I feel my self losing intelligence when he's around. It's a wonder that his entire squad aren't blithering fools by now." Kakashi unleashed another blast of malevolence, then walked away. As he neared the door, he stopped and looked back._

"_When we return home, I'm dropping you as my student, and recommending a court martial to the Hokage, the council be damned. You know, Itachi, as fucked up and evil as he is, would never have done what you did." Sasuke sputtered and cursed, screaming to be set free. Kakashi left the room and placed a silencing seal over the door, effectively hitting mute on the Uchiha._

_- End -_

Now, he was returning to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, his student, sedated and unconscious, slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Kakashi knew he was inviting trouble by going against the council's wishes, but if he _was _demoted, he'd already decided to reapply for ANBU, since rank held no sway there, only skill. They'd been requesting that he return to them for a while anyways. At worst, he could just live as a Chūnin and wait to be promoted when the current council finally croaked. _'Shouldn't be too long now... those old farts have got to be in their seventies by now... Just how the hell did they survive so long? I mean, damn... forty as a ninja is considered a great achievement... Meh, whatever. I just wanna get rid of this little fucker and take a bath... I feel dirty just carrying him.'_

-=0000000=-

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, sat in his office, a small pile of paper work ignored on his desk as he painstakingly worked on a painting of the Hokage mountain. He liked to take his time in his art, usually choosing a scene with great detail, in order to maximize the enjoyment he received upon completion of his works. He never sold them, though, but rather gave them to friends as gifts. It was a well known fact that the Yondaime Kazekage had a desert landscape, done by the Hokage, hanging proudly on the wall in his study.

The Hokage was just finishing the details of the Nidaime's face, when his secretary buzzed him. "Hokage-sama, Team Seven and Kakashi are here." The old man sighed and put his brush down, making a mental note to clean it off as soon as he had a chance.

"Send them in, Hinako." The woman smiled to the shinobi that were waiting, and opened the door for them. Inside, they found the Hokage pulling a sheet over his current piece of art.

"Hokage-sama, Kakashi Hatake and Team Seven reporting in. The mission was a success, though we've some problems to discuss." The Sandaime took immediate note of the unconscious and bound Uchiha. He looked at Kakashi with an eyebrow cocked.

"I take it this has something to do with your student, and will explain why he is tied up and sedated?"

Kakashi nodded. "Hai, Sarutobi-sama. You may want to get comfortable, this may take a while."

-=0000000=-

Sasuke groaned, trying to clear his mind enough to remember what was going on. He glanced at his surroundings, expecting to be in his home. What he saw didn't exactly mesh with his expectations, and his screams of rage echoed along the rough stone corridor leading to his confines. He had woken up to find that he was occupying a cell in the ANBU jail.

The ANBU outside the door got tired of the noise, and activated a specialized silencing seal. Any words outside of a select list were muted. Words like _emergency_, _hurt_, and _pain_ were audible as normal, if used in proper context. Saying that he'd hurt someone and cause pain if he was not released immediately was not proper context, it seemed, as the ANBU read his charges lips, enjoying the looks of frustration on the boys face.

**== Two Days Later ==**

Naruto, Anko and Sakura couldn't believe it. They were leaving the council chambers, shaking their heads in wonder. Sasuke had gone into the council room, and tried to play the members of the Military Court. It seems they weren't as easily swayed as the normal council though.

_-Flashback-_

_The Sandaime stood and glared at the boy. "Sasuke Uchiha, we have heard the evidence and testimony of several key witnesses, as it pertains to your actions while in Nami no Kuni. Have you anything to say in your defense?"_

_Sasuke's head was aimed at the floor, his eyes tracing the grout lines in the tile floor. "Hai, Hokage-sama," he said, his head still down. What happened next shocked everyone._

_Sasuke looked up, his Sharingan activated. There were drops of water in the corners of his eyes. "Hokage-sama, I'm sorry. I had just awakened my Sharingan, and panicked at the thought of Konoha losing it after finally gaining it back. In my panic, I accidentally switched places with one of the members of Team Seven. _

"_Hurting her was not my intention, as she is a strong kunoichi of Konoha, something we have few enough of as is. I was hoping to pull some of the bridge materials from across the way, but she must have crossed into my path, because she got pulled through instead, taking the hit for me. _

"_Later, I was angry at being restrained, and in a fit of rage at the questions I was being asked, blurted out a sentence I should never have spoken. I told Kakashi that she should be proud to serve me. I felt sick after that, but I wasn't able to rectify the situation, as I was kept under lock and key, and usually sedated during the remainder of the mission."_

_The Hokage deliberated with the other members of the Court. To his left sat Shikaku Nara, Konoha's Jōnin Commander, and Inoichi Yamanaka, representing ANBU T&I. To his right sat Danzo Shimura, of the Elder Council, and Ganjou Haruno, who represented the civilian seat. The members of the panel deliberated, discussing various bits of evidence. Finally the Hokage turned back to speak to Sasuke._

"_I've come to my decision, after taking into consideration the opinions of the councilors that make up this court. Sasuke Uchiha, you are found guilty of attempted murder of a fellow leaf shinobi. As your punishment, I hereby sentence you to no less than ten years in the Konoha Military Prison, where your chakra and bloodline will be sealed. Afterward, you will be released on parole for a period of no less then five years. _

"_If, at anytime during those five years, you attempt anything resembling shinobi training, you will be returned to prison for the remainder of you natural life. You may work out, training your body, but jutsu, chakra exercises, and weapons training are prohibited. In essence you will be a civilian. _

"_In addition, you are required to pay a fine to Anko Mitarashi, the victim, in the sum of five hundred thousand ryo, as compensation for injuries suffered due to your actions. Do you understand the punishments as set forth by this court?"_

_Sasuke, who couldn't believe what had just happened, nodded dumbly._

"_Let it be entered that the defendant has acknowledged that he understands. This court is adjourned. ANBU, take the prisoner away."_

_- End -_

Sakura nodded. "Sasuke got what he deserved. I crushed on him, yeah, but you guys are like my family. I'm gonna have trouble ever forgiving that bastard for what he did."

Naruto and Anko looked at their pink-haired teammate for a moment, before bursting into laughter.

"Hey, what's so funny, you two?" Naruto kept laughing, but Anko tried her best to answer.

"You… actually called… the Uchiha a… a bastard!" Naruto started nodding, and chimed in.

"It's just funny… you used to… be the teme's… biggest fan girl!"

Sakura looked at her teammates, eye twitching sporadically. Then she whacked both of them over the head and huffed away.

-=0000000=-

Later that evening, Naruto sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling, while Anko and Sakura were in their rooms, sleeping. Naruto kept going over the battle at the bridge in his head. He couldn't get over the fact that he'd killed dozens of men that day. A sob escaped his throat, as the villagers' words came back to him, words he'd heard over and over.

"_Monster!"_

"_Demon!"_

"_Murderer!"_

The words floated around his mind, taunting him. _'Am I really a monster? I killed all those men, without a doubt in my mind that it had to be done, that I wanted to do it. What's wrong with me?'_

Another sob escaped his throat, and the tears began to fall.

-=0000000=-

Anko woke with a start, a scream muffled in her throat. It had been the same dream for weeks, ever since the battle at the bridge. It was always the same, she would suddenly find herself in the path of countless needles, and the face of a laughing Uchiha mocking her. Then, the worst part was watching Naruto fight to avenge her, and falling in the process, his life blood spilling out of him faster than the Kyūbi could heal the wounds. His last words were always cut off as she woke up stifling a scream.

Now, in the middle of the night, she had this urge to see him, to smell him, to hold him and make sure he was alright to make sure he was still with her. Softly, she got out of bed and slipped down the short hall to Naruto's room. She opened the door, but stopped when she heard noise inside. It was quiet, nearly inaudible, but it was there, the sounds of sobbing.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

Anko watched as Naruto rolled over and looked at her, his eyes puffy and red. "Anko-hime. I'm… I'm fine."

Anko shook her head. "No, you're not. Come on, baby, tell me about what's got you like this."

Naruto sat up, and motioned her over. She crossed the room and sat next to him, getting comfortable. "Do you really want to hear this, hime?"

She nodded, and Naruto sighed. "It's… well, I couldn't keep the villagers out of my head. I mean, I killed a lot of men out there in Wave. What if that was just the beast getting to me, influencing me?" His voice suddenly got quieter. "What if I'm really a monster, a demon?"

Anko wrapped her slender arms around Naruto, and held him tight. "Naruto-kun, you're no demon, no monster. You saved an entire nation from a slow death. You defeated an opponent no one else could." She kissed him softly on the lips, lingering for just a moment. "You fought for me, and demons don't do that, I think. Fight for others. That's what makes you human."

Naruto nodded and lay down. On an impulse, Anko lay down next to him, pressing her body up against his, molding her self into his form. Naruto's arm snaked around her waist, and pulled her close, closing what little gap there may have been between them.

"Goodnight, hime."

"Good night, whiskers."

**== The Next Afternoon ==**

Naruto fidgeted nervously, his hands twitching every couple of seconds. He was currently being educated on proper dating etiquette, and it was giving him a headache.

"Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, I really appreciate this, but there's no way I can remember all of this after one lesson. I already feel like my brain is melting or something."

Ino growled, frustration evident on her face. After Sakura told her what had happened in Wave, Ino had dropped the fan girl act rather quickly. She'd been raised by her father, Inoichi Yamanaka, who was once a part of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho Squadron of the Third Great Shinobi War. Teamwork and caring for your teammates was something that ran in her blood.

At the moment, Ino felt all that going out the window as Naruto continued to frustrate her. "It's really simple, Naruto. Compliment her, treat her with respect, and remember to use your manners. Talk about common interests, missions, and what not. Make her feel like the princess you call her."

Naruto stared at his fellow blonde dumbly. "That's it? I've been here for four hours, taking all kinds of etiquette lessons, and you sum it up in, like, thirty words? You should have just said that earlier."

Ino bonked Naruto on the head, the stormed off. _'Troublesome men… DAMMIT! I've been around Shikamaru too long!'_

Sakura watched as Ino stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door in the process, then turned to her teammate with an exasperated look on her face. "Do you have to be such a knucklehead? She was trying to help you." the pinkette said before taking a sip of water from the glass she held.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, a goofy grin plastered to his face. "I know, but I do better with short summaries than with long drawn out lessons. Besides, I wasn't being a jerk or anything, Ino's just got the temper of a raging bull." A sly smile emerged as he gave Sakura a sideways glance. "Or maybe, as you would say, a raging _boar." _Sakura choked, spitting out the water she'd been sipping.

"Baka! Don't make jokes like that while I'm drinking! I almost died!" she cried, turning away in a pout. Naruto laughed at her reaction, and Sakura smiled a little. "Are you nervous?"

The blonde nodded. "I feel all… I dunno. I got this feeling like my insides are all jumping around. I mean, I've known her for a long time, and we've even slept in the same bed, but this is an actual date, and I'm kinda freaking out, I guess."

Sakura smiled. "Wow… The number one unpredictable ninja in Konoha has pre-date butterflies. How sweet!"

"That's it! It feels like butterflies are flying around my stomach. Is that normal? Is that something I'm supposed to feel? I'm not really an Aburame am I? That would be kinda weird, cause I'm not really an Aburame kinda guy, ya know?" Naruto said, working himself into a panic.

Sakura started laughing."Naruto, relax. You're not an Aburame. Butterflies is an expression for the fluttery feeling you get when you're nervous."

"So, this is normal then?"

"Yep!" She glanced at the clock on the wall. "You better get ready. You're supposed to pick her up from Ibiki's place in forty-five minutes."

"Why's she over there anyways? It's kinda odd that I gotta pick up my date at someone else's house, even though we're roommates."

Sakura shook her head. "Anko was trained by Ibiki and worked with him for a long time. He is the closest thing she has to a brother. She went over there to get ready without you seeing her."

Naruto nodded. "I see." He began to rub his chin pensively. "Yeah, Ibiki was always close to Anko. He even promised her a job back in T&I when she hits Tokujō again. h Sakura smiled, then put on her jacket and walked to the door.

"Well, I have shopping plans with Hinata. You be good tonight, Naruto." Naruto nodded and went to his room to get ready.

-=0000000=-

Naruto shifted nervously in the chair, as Ibiki sat across from him. "I know you and Anko are roommates, but I'm gonna let you know now, if you ever hurt her, I'll make what happened to me, seem like child's play." Ibiki slowly untied his bandana, revealing a head covered in burns and scars. Naruto swore he saw an open hole there.

Naruto paled. "Y-yes sir. I'll never hurt her though, so you don't have to worry." Naruto's curiosity finally overruled his sense of self-preservation. "Umm... was that a hole in your head? How'd you get those scars?"

Ibiki replaced his bandana, and told Naruto the story about his brother, and the traitor Aoi. Naruto listened with rapt attention as Ibiki retold the tale of his torture, and his eventual escape. Neither one noticed Anko coming down the stairs.

"I see you two are bonding. That's good." She struck a pose, smiling at Naruto. "Sweetie, how do I look."

Naruto was speechless. Anko was wearing a stunning black dress, with a golden serpent coiling around the skirt. Her hair was styled in an elaborate bun, with a pair of crystal hair sticks holding it in place. A small clutch was in her left hand, and a silk shawl was draped around her shoulders.

Naruto couldn't find the words to express what he was seeing or feeling. In his thoughts, Anko had always been pretty, or cute, and even hot, but now, he only knew one word that said what he wanted to convey.

"Hime, you look beautiful. Are you sure you wanna go out? I don't want you to anger Kami by putting her stars to shame."

Anko began blushing, a faint red tinge on her cheeks that got a little darker with every passing second. "Yeah, well you don't look so bad yourself, hot stuff. You clean up pretty well." Naruto glanced at his own attire.

His shirt was a dark, burnt orange, under a black sport coat with matching pants. He didn't wear a tie, instead opting to sport a necklace at his open collar. His hair was combed, and slightly more tame than usual.

"Thanks. I had some help from Sakura-chan picking it out." Naruto held out his arm, which was promptly taken by Anko. The two teens moved towards the door, stopping only to wave bye to Ibiki.

-=0000000=-

There is one place in Konoha that is considered the best restaurant for first dates. _Suzahara's _was famous for its traditional Hi no Kuni cuisine, as well as it's foreign menu, with culinary masters from all over the Elemental Countries calling the kitchen there home. This wasn't what made them the best choice for first dates. _Suzahara's _didn't require reservations, which many of the finer restaurants in Konoha did, making it ideal for couples who didn't plan ahead for their evening on the town.

Naruto and Anko walked up to the door, which was opened by a young man in a crimson yukata and traditional geta. "Konbanwa!" Naruto smiled, and Anko nodded. There was a short line, but they quickly made their way to the Maître d's podium.

"Konbanwa. Welcome to _Suzahara's_. How many tonight?" he asked efficiently. Naruto smiled.

"Two please. Somewhere with a little... privacy," He answered, slipping the man a fifty ryo note. "The man looked at the bill in his hand and smiled.

"Very well, sir. Come with me." He led the couple to a table near the kitchens, just inside the radiant circle of one of the ceiling fixtures. The table was small and cozy, just big enough for the two of them. "Is this to your likings, sir?" Naruto nodded his approval, and quickly pulled out Anko's chair for her. The Maître d' nodded, and walked away, back to the front of the restaurant.

Anko gave Naruto a look. "Why'd you grease the guy? He didn't seem that bad." Naruto grinned.

"Well, I learned that a little grease can keep things running smoothly. If I hadn't greased him, he could have done any number of things. I wanted to avoid that kind of reaction. I wanted to make sure things go good tonight, you know?" Anko nodded and smiled.

"I understand completely. I was so nervous earlier. I kept feeling nauseous and jittery."

"Me too! I felt like there were hundreds of butterflies just flying around my stomach. I actually started panicking."

Anko looked at the blonde across from her and started laughing. "Haaahaahaa! Never had butterflies before, Naruto-kun?"

He shook his head in the negative, laughing right along with her. After a moment, the two teenagers calmed down, and finally noticed the man standing next to their table. "Konbanwa. My name is Matoshi, and I will be your server tonight. May I get you anything to drink?"

Naruto looked over the beverage list, then turned to Anko. "How's chilled sake sound?" Anko looked at the blonde, her face a mixture of revulsion and shock.

"Naruto, are you trying to get me drunk so you can seduce me?"

Naruto immediately turned red and began apologizing. "Nononononono! That is not what I'm trying to do! Oh Kami, please, just forget I even mentioned that! It was a bad idea!"

Anko looked at him suspiciously. "So, you aren't trying to seduce me?" Naruto vigorously shook his head no. "Dammit! I was looking forward to being seduced!" she said, turning away in a mock pout.

Naruto stared at her, the gears in his head slowly picking up speed as realization dawned on him. "Anko-hime, you really haven't changed much, have you? Still as perverted as before, just no taste for blood this time." Naruto turned to the waiter, who was standing patiently at the table side. "A bottle of chilled sake and two saucers please, and an order of these... Iwa-style onion rings, as our appetizer."

The waiter looked at the two. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't serve you sake. You don't met the age required by law." Naruto reached into his inner pocket, and pulled out his hitai-ate, Anko pulling hers from her clutch.

"By law, my date and I are legal adults and able to drink." The waiter took one look at the metal plates and nodded.

"I'm terribly sorry sir. This is mainly a civilian restaurant, and we don't often get shinobi here. I'll be right back with your sake."

After that, the night progressed smoothly. Naruto regaled Anko with tales of his various pranks, while Anko told him stories of the years before the Kyūbi attack, when Konoha was just getting back on it's feet from the last war. When their meals finally came, the two ate in relative silence, one or the other occasionally taking moment to tell a short joke, or some random anecdote from their youth.

At long last the two teenagers finished their meal. Naruto stood first, and pulled out Anko's chair for her. "Hey, as much as I hate to say it, we better get going. We'll probably have a couple of d-ranks in the morning, and we'll need our energy."

Anko nodded, and sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Well... race ya home!" Anko darted out of the restaurant, leaving Naruto in the dust. Naruto quickly paid the bill, leaving the change as a tip for the waiter, then ran out after her, laughing the whole way.

-=0000000=-

Naruto woke up to the loud banging of a fist on his bedroom door. He slowly sat up and looked around, trying to get his bearings. "I'm up, I'm up, jeez!" He walked to the door and opened it to find his teammates dressed and ready.

"Naruto, we're supposed to meet Hana-sensei in an hour, hurry up and get ready. Sakura and I'll be in the kitchen."

Naruto nodded and ran to get ready, wondering what meaningless chore they had today.

-=0000000=-

Hana sat under a large tree overlooking her team's training grounds. She smiled when her trio of Genin arrived. "Hello pups. We've been assigned a C-rank mission. Hokage-sama received a request for aid from a village near the border of Hi no Kuni and Ishi no Kuni. Apparently a band of thieves and highwaymen have taken up residence there and are tormenting the local populace. Our job is to eradicate the enemy."

Naruto looked at his sensei. "Why our team? Why not one of the other Genin teams?"

Hana sighed. "Because, none of the other Genin teams have killed yet, and the Hokage wouldn't send a un-blooded Genin into a massacre like this." Naruto sighed.

"I understand, sensei. How long till we leave?"

"You have two hours to pack for a two week mission, then meet me at the main gates." The three Genin nodded, then ran off to their home to get their equipment.

**Translations:**

**Konbanwa - Good evening.**

**Ishi no Kuni - Land of Stone (not to be confused with Tsuchi no Kuni, the Land of Earth and location of the hidden stone village, Iwagakure.)**


	11. Chapter 11 Mission to Tachogawa Town

**Author's Notes**: Merry Christmas! I know, it's been too long and there's really no excuse. Life happens, and we cope as best as we can. I'm gonna continue writing this story, and will hopefully do so for as long as I can, but it may become sporadic at times, as evidenced by my current release schedule. Fear not. As long as I have fans out there in Cyberspace, the story shall be told. As some of you may notice, the style guide that has been present for the last ten chapters is now gone. As I was told by a reader through email, it was "pretentious", and by including it in every chapter, I make it sound like i think that my readers are stupid.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own the events that occur in the following chapter

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 11**

Inari wandered the streets of Konoha, wondering where this Ichiraku's was. He'd heard Naruto talking about it to the purple haired girl, Anko, while they were on their way to Konoha, and he wanted to try it, to be just like his idol. He never noticed the boy in the long scarf walking towards him, and apparently the boy in the scarf didn't notice him either.

The collision was inevitable, and both boys fell hard. Inari looked up, his hat askew on his head. "Sorry 'bout that! I'm new in town, and I'm kinda lost." The other boy got up and dusted himself off before turning to Inari.

"So you're new in town? Where ya from?" the boy asked as he straightened his scarf. Inari grinned.

"Well, I'm from Nami no Kuni, the Land of Waves. I'm Inari."

The scarfed boy sized up the boy in front of him. "Nice to meet you, Inari. I'm Konohamaru, the future sixth Hokage!"

Inari looked at the boy and cocked his head to the side. "But, then, who's gonna be the fifth?"

Konohamaru grinned. "Duh! The boss is gonna be the fifth Hokage of course! Naruto's biggest dream is to Hokage!"

Inari grinned. "You know Naruto-nii-san? He's the whole reason I'm here! To be a great ninja like him and his teammates!"

Konohamaru looked at the boy, and smirked. "Well, first things first, you need to get a pair of goggles like mine," he said as he led the boy away, showing him the way to Ichiraku's, and instructing him in the ways of Naruto.

-=0000000=-

Kakashi sighed. He'd been demoted soon after the debacle with Sasuke had gone down. Of course, it had nothing to do with his actions in Wave, but with a performance review that had come up. He'd been demoted for characteristics and habits unbecoming of an officer. So for the two weeks he had to wait for his ANBU reinstatement to go through, he was on gate duty with Izumo and Kotetsu. He'd also been barred from reading his books while on duty.

The Hokage had been livid when he heard of the demotion. He had stormed into the council chambers, and laid down the law soon after.

_-Flashback-_

_Kakashi sat on the roof of the academy, enjoying his day off. He was pissed, having been informed that he'd been demoted, but he'd already put his paperwork in to re-join the ANBU. He was just getting to a good part in his book when Neko, an ANBU he'd worked with extensively in the past, appeared next to him. "Hokage-sama wants you in his office, ASAP." Kakashi nodded and vanished in a puff of smoke and swirl of leaves._

_When he arrived in the Hokage's office, he got a quick recount of what had transpired. Apparently, Sarutobi had been reading over the notes from the last council meeting, one of minor importance. The biggest thing on the docket for discussion were some civilian concerns about whether or not to increase the tax rate again. That's when he noticed that there were references to additional notes that had been filed separately. He had immediately called for his secretary._

"_Hinako, could you come here a moment?" he called over the small intercom unit on his desk. His secretary came in a moment later._

"_Yes, Hokage-sama?"_

_Sarutobi pointed at the notation at the bottom of the last page. Being Hokage meant he had to do paperwork for a good portion of his time, but it did not mean he understood the filing system that his clerks used, mainly for the fact that it was constantly being revised. "This right here, what does this mean exactly?"_

_Hinako leaned in for a closer look. "It looks like a personnel file. See this here 'PNL' is the designation for a personnel file in the current system. The number after it is the Employee I.D. number for the person the file relates to. The number after the dash is the date of the last entry into the file. This one was last edited on the day of the council meeting it seems."_

_Sarutobi nodded. "Bring me the file. I would like to see what the council is doing to my staff behind my back."_

_Hinako nodded and rushed off to get the file. When she returned, Sarutobi had called for Kakashi, who found himself following the Hokage to the Council's Chambers._

_The councilors were still in the chamber, many simply taking the time to sit around and talk with friends. They all looked up, stunned, when the doors to the chamber slammed open, the ornate handles leaving cracks in the plaster of the walls on either side of the portal._

"_Anyone care to explain why a matter concerning one of my ninja was discussed without my notification?" the Hokage asked, his voice calm._

_One of the civilians spoke up. "It was just a simple demotion, based on countless acts of tardiness and habits unbecoming of someone who's supposed to be in charge." _

_The Hokage stared at the council, his eyes hardening. "Kakashi has been in the habit of being late for many years. Why is it that you decided to act now? Or is there some other reason, and you are simply using his tardiness as an excuse?"_

_Danzō stood up, and glanced at Kakashi. __"Did he come crying to you, Hokage-sama? Also behavior unbecoming of a ranking member of the shinobi forces."_

"_No, he didn't. It may seem odd, but I do make a habit of reading the notes to every Council meeting, even the minor ones. That's how I found the minor notation regarding Kakashi's file." Sarutobi stood taller, seeming to grow in front of everyone's eyes. "Listen here, and listen well. This council is on thin ice as it is. If there are even hints of anymore underhanded dealings, I will personally come here and execute each and every one of you with my own hands." He glared at each member of the council, and each member looked away, save for Danz__ō__. He merely glared back through his one good eye. _

"_You seem to forget that this is not a democracy. It is, in all essences, a military dictatorship. You in this room are merely advisers, and with that, I hereby repeal this council's ability to demote members of MY military force. If any of you have an issue with that, you can keep your opinion to your selves. You are all dismissed. Get out."_

_None of the councilors moved, all turned towards Danzō. The man in question simply sneered. __"I hereby enter a vote of no confidence in Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Hokage, on the grounds of mental instability and senility." Sarutobi grinned._

"_Danzō__, I hereby order your arrest, for maintaining an illegal military force outside of the registered Shinobi Corps, and for several dozen counts of kidnapping. Have you anything to say?" Sarutobi asked as three ANBU appeared around the old war-hawk._

"_Kill him!" Danz__ō__ had screamed, but no one answered his call. Neko walked in then, and threw down three bloody masks, each bearing the symbol for Root. Danz__ō__ paled visibly, knowing that he was done for._

"_Danzō Shimura, for the attempted assassination of the Hokage, I hereby sentence you to death. Have you any last words?__" Danz__ō__ looked up at Sarutobi._

"_How long have you known?"_

"_Since you started. My loyal spy amongst your group has been reporting to me since the very beginning." Danz__ō__ spluttered. He'd been spied on for that long? Who could have done it?_

"_Who? Who was able to keep themselves through all of the conditioning my Root goes through?"_

"_Me. Sarutobi never said it was a member of Root. Simply someone in your organization." Utatane Koharu said as she walked up beside the Hokage. "You never understood why Tobirama chose Sarutobi. It was because of his ability to inspire and his compassion."_

_Kakashi looked grim as Neko brought her bla__de to bear. He saw the shadow of the Hokage's hand as it gave the signal, and he heard the sound of Danzō's head hitting the ground. Killing the enemy was a Shinobi's job, even if the enemy was found within one's own home._

_-End-_

Now he sat on guard duty, bored, and with no Icha Icha Paradise to keep him company. It was gonna be a long two weeks. He settled into his chair at the gatehouse, having pulled seniority over the other two and sent them to stand watch at the gate itself.

"Umm, Kakashi-san? Hi, how are you?" Kakashi heard as he sat upright in his chair. He was surprised to find Tsunami standing there, holding what looked like a wrapped bento box.

"Greetings, Tsunami-san. I'm ok. Guard duty is so boring, though. I understand why those two are always complaining," he said as he pointed at the other guards standing at the door to the city.

Tsunami's brow furrowed. "I thought you were a Jōnin. From what I learned by talking to my neighbor, guard duty is a Chūnin level responsibility."

Kakashi sighed. "After we went to Wave, I was demoted. So I'm doing my job now. Which happens to suck."

Tsunami nodded. "Well, me and Inari, our apartment is right over there," she said as she pointed to a large building across the plaza. "I saw you sitting out here, and I figured you could use something to eat. It is almost two o'clock you know," she said smiling, as she set the bento down in front of the masked shinobi. Kakashi opened it and sighed in appreciation. He looked up at her with a gleam in his eyes.

"Thanks, Tsunami. I'll be sure to bring this back after my shift, ok?" Tsunami nodded, and got up to leave. She turned back for just a second to say bye, and froze. Tsunami had just become a member of a very exclusive club, having seen Kakashi Hatake with his trademark mask off.

_'Kakashi is gorgeous! He's so mine!' _she thought as she stared at his face, stars in her eyes. Blushing and giggling, she turned and ran back to her apartment, already planning a dinner for the silver haired man for when he visited after his shift.

== **Border of Hi no Kuni **==

Naruto and Anko sat in a tree overlooking a river that marked the border between Hi no Kuni and Ishi no Kuni. The normally rambunctious blonde was somber, and sighed as he turned to look at his girlfriend. "Tomorrow, we should arrive in the village. That means this is our last chance to relax and rest until the mission is over."

Anko nodded. "Yeah, I know," she said as she turned to him. "Naruto, I've never really asked, but what did it feel like when you tapped into the fox?"

Naruto leaned back, resting against the trunk of the tree, his eyes closed. "I- I really can't explain it. It's like the world slowed down, and everything was tinted red. I didn't think, I just did, on instinct I guess. I remember the things that happened when I used the fox on the bridge." Naruto opened his eyes and looked down at his hands. "I know I killed a lot of men on that bridge, but I couldn't stop. Afterward, I was depressed, and I couldn't sleep. I had nightmares. I couldn't get those feelings out of my head. Do you remember your first?" he asked, bringing his eyes up to hers.

Anko nodded. "Yeah. It was before I got that damned mark. When I made my first kill, Konoha was still recovering from the war. Even though I was apprenticed to Orochimaru, as one of the Sannin, he only had time to teach me when he was in the village. For the rest of my time, I was on a squad with Iruka and Kurenai.

"Anyways, it was dark, and we were on border patrol with another Genin squad, when a group of Iwa ninja attacked us. I remember this big burly guy grabbed me, told me I'd fetch a good price over in his camp. I managed to get a kunai I used to carry in a wrist sheath into my hands, and stabbed him in the neck, pushing as hard as I could." She paused again, her eyes closed.

"The other Genin squad was more experienced than mine, and they handled the other two easily, but I stayed on that monster, stabbing him over and over. My taichō was Asuma Sarutobi's older sister, Amaya. She pulled me aside and told me that killing that man was my only chance of survival. If I hadn't, I would have been passed around the men at the Iwa camp, and eventually killed.

"I knew that, but I still couldn't believe that I had killed another living being. That's when Amaya-taichō told me about her first kill. That's also when I realized that I could get over the feelings and get past them, but I could never truly forget those feelings."

She smiled, and turned to Naruto. "Amaya-sensei told me that if I ever forgot those feelings then all was lost, and I would be no better than a machine, killing without consequence." Naruto nodded, digesting those words.

They sat in silence for a while, simply watching the water. Naruto finally turned to Anko and kissed her gently. "Thanks, Hime. I needed that. We should probably get some rest. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." The two Genin jumped down from the branch they were sitting on and made their way to the border inn where they were staying.

-=0000000=-

Hana woke up with the dawn, and roused her Genin. She made her way downstairs and paid for the rooms while the others got up and ready. Fifteen minutes later, they were all sitting around a table in the dining room, planning. "Ok, pups, the town is called Tachogawa, and our contact is a man named Doma. Seems that there's a group of bandits that have been raiding the village. Normally we'd try to apprehend them, but there's been a complication. As of the last raid, they've begun kidnapping young girls."

Naruto jumped to his feet, slamming his hand on the table. "What? They're kidnapping little kids?" Hana nodded, and motioned for her student to sit down.

"Yes, last raid was the first time, but four little girls have gone missing. One was an orphan, and the other three have families that are worried. Our mission directive is to eradicate the bandits, and rescue the girls." She glanced around the table. "Any questions?" No one had any.

Team Seven set out shortly after that, and soon made their way across the border and into Ishi no Kuni. They hadn't gone more than a few miles when they were stopped by a couple of men holding rather large axes.

"'Well, aren't you a pretty one? Taking a field trip?" the bigger one asked, while the smaller, wiry one circled around behind the group.

Naruto bristled, but Anko grabbed his hand and squeezed it, as Hana spoke up. "We're actually traveling to visit a friend. Would you happen to know how far it is to Tachogawa Town?"

The smaller one grinned. "Tachogawa? The road leading into Tachogawa is up ahead, but it's a toll road. We're the toll collectors," he replied, snickering.

The bigger one lifted his axe to his shoulder, and smirked. "My associate over there is right. This here is a toll road. The charge is every ryō you've got on you. If we ain't satisfied, we'll find ways of getting our payment," he drawled as his eyes traveled up and down Hana's body.

The smaller man had circled around behind them. Naruto nearly throttled the man when he made a grab at Anko, but stopped himself when he saw the thin line of blood appear on the guy's cheek. He glanced over, and noticed a kunai in Anko's hand, the tip red and dripping.

"Wha? The bitch just cut me face!" he screamed as he stared at the blood on his hand. He turned to Anko, his eyes filled with rage. "I'm gonna slice that pretty lil' head right off ya shoulders, then I'm gonna kill ya little friends, too."

The bigger man sighed, his shoulders heaving. "I really hate having to kill the pretty ones, but it seems we got no choice," he said, before blowing into a small silver whistle.

Several more bandits rushed out of the surrounding woods, circling Naruto and his teammates. The blonde glanced around, taking stock of the situation. "Well, I count about four to one." He turned to look at his sensei, trademark grin on his face. "Should I even the odds?"

Hana nodded, and the blonde made a familiar hand seal, bringing several copies of himself into existence. The bandits looked to the big guy for support.

"Hey, they're just those clones the boss was telling us about! Illusions! Get 'em boys!" One bandit, a newcomer to the group, was eager to please the higher ups, and jumped forward. He expected the "illusion" to simply stand there, and never saw the kunai digging into his skull, or the shocked look on his comrades' faces as his body fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. The other bandits backed away, and some broke and ran, the sight of one of theirs dead in an instant simply too much for them to handle.

Hana and the other members of Team Seven instantly jumped into action. The real Naruto sidestepped as one bandit rushed him, swinging a sword wildly. He quickly pivoted, bringing his hand around in a spinning back-fist that connected solidly with the passing bandit.

The bandit stumbled, his vision blurry. Years of living in a dangerous part of his home town had given him a sixth sense, and he threw himself to the side in order to avoid the stab from Naruto's kunai. He rose to his full height and set himself, sword poised and ready to defend.

Naruto sighed. _'Of all the rotten luck, I had to fight the guy who knows how to use a sword.' _He drew his blade from its sheath, the elongated kunai more like a short-sword than a katana. He settled into a stance that he had learned during the two weeks he had been back in town after the Wave mission.

The two stared at each other, and at some unspoken mark they both dashed forward. The bandit attacked first, his blade whistling as it slid through the air. Naruto ducked low and spun, reversing the grip on his blade to cut at the man's legs. The man jumped back, expecting the maneuver, and brought his sword down, aimed for the young ninja's back. Naruto, his senses on overdrive, quickly spun, shifting his position, and deflected the blade, sending it wide. Naruto, sensing an opportunity that might not come again, quickly rose up, bringing his sword straight up.

The sound of metal sliding through flesh was the reward, and the dying man's screams echoed through the battlefield. Flicking his blade to rid it of the blood, Naruto quickly moved on to the next target, having received the memories of several of his clones that had been defeated.

-=0000000=-

Anko grinned wickedly as she faced off against a bandit wielding a long spear. The man leered at her, and jabbed his spear forward. The violet-haired girl dodged each thrust clumsily, as though she were inadequately trained. All the while, she was simply biding her time.

The spearman grinned as he thrust his weapon forward again, and was shocked that his target had suddenly vanished. He spun around, only to find himself clutching his stomach as a kunai sank into his flesh, spilling digestive fluid into his abdominal cavity. "H-how?" he managed to ask, as he sank to his knees.

"You underestimated me simply based on what you saw. Deception is a ninja's greatest tool," she said as she turned to fight another.

-=0000000=-

The battle was quick, Naruto's skirmish being one of the longer scuffles. Most of the bandits were dispatched quickly, especially after Hana brought the Haimaru triplets into the fray, with orders to chase down the ones that ran.

The big man who had originally accosted them was currently tied to a tree, bound with a special chakra rope that was cut-resistant. Sakura had knocked him out with a genjutsu, and one of Naturo's clones had tied him up.

Hana looked at Anko and nodded. The young woman reached into her backpack and pulled a roll of cloth from within. She laid it out on a flat rock that was nearby, and unrolled it. Within were several sharp instruments and cutting tools, along with various unguents designed to increase the sensations of pain. It was a field interrogation kit, something she had picked up from Ibiki before they left the village.

She slapped the guy, waking him up. He looked at her and snarled. She ignored it. "Listen up. I'm gonna ask you a few questions. If you answer and tell me what I wanna hear, there will be no pain. If you don't tell me what I want to hear, or if you refuse to talk, you _will_ experience pain beyond anything your puny mind could ever imagine," she said before getting in his face. "Is that clear?"

The man was defiant, and spit at her. Anko smiled, a smirk that Naruto had seen before. It was the same smirk she had given him before the change, the same smirk that she once wore when she was breaking prisoners in the ANBU interrogation rooms. She turned away and perused her collection of items.

Anko grabbed a small scalpel from the set of tools, along with a couple of vials, one full of a whitish fluid, the other a blue liquid. She slowly moved over to the man, and grabbed his hand. She sliced into the pad of his thumb, and squeezed it a bit, letting the blood run. "Ready to talk yet?"

The man stared at her, disbelieving. "That was pain beyond anything my mind could imagine? You Konoha interrogators need to seriously rework your tactics if that's it."

Anko's smirk became a grin. "Nope, that was just your last chance before I actually started." She uncorked the vial of white fluid, and let a small drop fall on the cut. The reaction was instant. The wound began to sizzle, and the man began screaming. After a few seconds, the budding interrogator poured a drop of the blue liquid on to the cut, instantly relieving the pain.

She held up the white vial. "I have enough of this stuff to torture you for the next three days, and that's just this vial. I think I have, like, five or six more. Now, is that what you want? Because I have no issues with giving you what you want."

The man just stared at her, fear in his eyes.


	12. Chapter 12 Midnight Assault

**Author's Notes**: I'm glad everyone loves this story. I recently cleaned out my email box, and in the week since I posted Chapter 11, I've received more than a hundred messages. Thanks for bearing with me and my personal issues. On to the story. This is my shortest chapter yet, but I felt the point where i ended was !

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own the circumstances of this particular chapter of this fanfic.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 12**

**==Tachogawa Town==**

Team Seven sat around the small table in the village headman's kitchen. He'd offered to put them up for the night, the village being too small for a proper hotel. They'd agreed, knowing they'd not be there to actually use the beds he offered.

The bandit they'd captured earlier had broken rather quickly, and spilled everything. He begged for someone to save him from the purple devil, so Hana stepped in, and got the info they needed. Then she grabbed the man's head and twisted it to the side, the resulting snap of his vertebrae quickly ending his life. A quick Katon jutsu later, and they were on their way into the town.

Naruto wasn't expecting much when he entered the small village, but what he saw depressed and enraged him. The town of Tachogawa was small, smaller even than the village Tazuna hailed from. But despite it's small size, it was a producer of a large quantity of its home nation's iron, which was one of Ishi no Kuni's biggest exports.

Now the village was on the brink of destruction, with their main source of income being stolen, and the children, the future of the people, being abducted right before their eyes. The blonde growled, fighting to suppress his rage. He knew in his heart that he wouldn't stop till the bastards that had caused this were killed. He jumped when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Anko's honey-gold eyes stared into his.

"We'll fix this, Naruto-kun. What is it you always say? Believe it!" Naruto stopped dead in his tracks for a moment, falling behind his teammates. With a laugh and a grin, he rushed to catch back up.

Soon, their path led them to the headman's modest home. The headman, an elderly gentleman known as Doma, was small, just a few inches taller than the Genin. He welcomed them heartily, and quickly ushered them inside, calling out to his wife to get some tea ready. The shinobi gladly accepted the beverage when it was brought to them, and spent a few minutes chatting with their hosts.

The weary ninja rested, knowing they'd need all their strength for the battle that was surely coming. Naruto and Anko sat out on the roof, staring at the clouds as the light faded, while Sakura played a game of cards with Hana, and their hosts. Shortly before nightfall, Hana called for the two young lovebirds. The hopped off the roof and stepped inside, where Hana and Sakura were already sitting at the table.

The four shinobi started going over the information the man had given them, formulating their plan. Before long, Hana sent her students off to get some rest. They'd need it for the night ahead of them.

-=0000000=-

Midnight came quickly, the sounds of the village long since changed from the everyday noise of rural life, to sounds of repose and rest. Four shadows flitted through the forest, making their way north of the village. As her team jumped through the trees, Hana spoke to them over their headsets. "Listen, pups. The bandits were fought earlier were nothing. I can guarantee this, the bandits we fight in this camp are gonna be way tougher, and there's bound to be a few ninja."

Naruto sighed. "So, if we do encounter enemy ninja, that will make this our second B-rank, you know that right?" He paused then amended his statement. "Well, first, since the last one got bumped up to A-rank. Either way, we may be the only squad going into the Chūnin Exams with everything except C- and S-ranks under our belts."

Hana snorted. "Who said anything about you going to the Chūnin Exams?"

Anko grunted. "Are you kidding me? We're one of the best teams from the last class. The whole reason we're on this mission is because we're the only ones that are blooded, and the only ones with the apparent skill to pull it off without a hitch. If we don't go to the Chūnin exams, then the system is fucked, sensei."

Hana giggled, the sound of her laughter coming over the earpieces. "I was yanking your collars, pups. I really hadn't made a decision on that yet. I mean, you have the skills and teamwork, there's no doubt about that. But the Exam is tough, and I don't want you to fail."

Sakura's voice crackled to life. "Hana-sensei, have you heard what the villagers are saying? Well, besides the obvious stupidity about Naruto?"

"No, Sakura. I tend to stay at the Vet's office when I'm not with you all. The villagers piss me off."

Naruto grinned, then piped in. "The general consensus is that this year's rookie Genin are among the best in years, but our team stands out above even them." Everyone went quiet, the sounds of rustling leaves the only break in the monotony. Finally Anko spoke up.

"Wow, Whiskers. Consensus is a pretty big word. You feeling ok?" Naruto rolled his eyes. Since he'd finally found books he enjoyed reading, his vocabulary and other mental skills had grown, and the girls, all three of them, constantly ragged him about it.

"Feeling just fine, Hime. Ready to kick some ass."

Hana's voice came over the radio. "Good, cause we're almost there. Code names only, minimal radio traffic. Everyone clear?"

Three voices confirmed the orders. "Yes, Sensei."

-=0000000=-

Koji looked over the fire to the two others on guard duty. They were new to the band and were still unacquainted with most of other members. "Hey! You're Kimisatō, right? Why don't you two come on over here and have a seat." Koji waited for the men to approach, but neither of them moved. "Hey, you ok?" he asked as he got to his feet. He shook the man's shoulder and gasped as the two men, propped up on their spears, simply fell.

Koji stumbled back as he saw the pools of blood at the men's feet, their throats slit ear to ear. He tried to scream but suddenly found that the only sound he could make was a strange gurgling noise. He felt himself falling, but, for some reason, he never felt himself hit the ground, even though he knew he had. He lay there a moment, watching as a blonde haired kid stepped from the shadows, firelight glinting off the hitai-ate around his neck, and then everything went black.

-=0000000=-

"Wolf, Fox reporting in. Three bandits at northwest guard post dispatched. Kage Bunshin reported a distinct lack of security at the northeast post before dissipating. Single target eliminated. Currently awaiting next directive."

Hana nodded. "Good. Snake, Dove, report."

"Snake here. Two bandits dispatched at southern guard post."

The three ninja waited a moment for the last member of their team to report in, but no noise came over the headsets. "Dove, do you copy? Report!" Hana said as she paused at the eastern guard post.

After a second, Sakura's voice crackled to life over the communications device. "Dove here. Shoulda given this one to Fox. Six tangos down. Western post is situated near a barracks. Requesting backup."

Hana nodded. "Every one hold position. Fox, move your clone to the west. I'm sending Ash and Dusty to help as well."

Sakura nodded. Ash was the Haimaru brother that got named first, by Naruto, since he seemed to like the blonde the most. After a little cajoling, Hana relented, and the others had been given names: Dusty and Slate.

Naruto piped up. "Roger that." With a single seal, a new clone popped into existence. Naruto watched as the clone sped off to join Sakura by the western edge of the camp.

-=0000000=-

Sakura nodded as the clone of her teammate arrived on scene, along with the two wolves. She slipped a kunai from her sheath as Hana's voice crackled out over the radio.

"Pups, listen up. I want this quick and clean if at all possible. Take out as many as you can as quietly as you can. No jutsu unless I give the order to go loud. Understood?"

The three Genin all voiced their understanding. They'd each learned some new jutsu while in the village after the Wave mission. They were especially surprised when their sensei gave them all a Katon jutsu to learn.

_-Flashback-_

"_Pups, today we're learning a new jutsu. It's a mid-range attack jutsu, and it'll be difficult to learn, but worth it. What __**'Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu'**__ does is launch several small fireballs at the target."_

_Sakura raised her hand. "If none of us are fire affinity, how are we going to be able to use a Katon jutsu?"_

"_Using a jutsu that matches your affinity just makes the result stronger, and uses less chakra. As I told you before, I'm a Suiton user, but I can easily use several Doton, and even a few Katon. Never really got into Raiton or Fūton, but I could use them if I tried. Just don't care to. My arsenal is more than enough." _

_Sakura nodded her head, and the three Genin got to work practicing the hand seals without channeling chakra._

_-End-_

"Good. On my mark, we are go. Three, two, one, go! Move in!" The three Genin slipped into the camp and moved about their business with brutal efficiency.

-=0000000=-

Sato woke up, his stomach grumbling in protest. He knew he shouldn't have eaten that meat, but it hadn't smelled or tasted rancid, so his buddies thought it was safe. Now he was paying for it. He stumbled his way to a nearby bush, dropped to his knees, and let his stomach empty itself. After a few moments, he wiped his mouth and staggered to his feet.

He was about to turn back to his tent when the scent of blood wafted into his nose. He turned to raise the alarm, but a sharp pain in his spine made him pause momentarily. With his dying breath, he cried out, rousing the remainder of the camp.

-=0000000=-

Anko cursed under her breath as the man she stabbed in the spine screamed bloody murder. Her sensei apparently heard it as well, since the orders to go loud crackled out of her headset.

Anko immediately jumped toward the nearest group of bandits, her **'Sen'eijashu' **flashing out. The snakes wrapped around two of the bandits, and Anko flung her arms wide, throwing the unwilling projectiles into the paths of other oncoming bandits. She landed, a kunai in each hand. Her legs were coiled under her, ready to throw her in any direction at a moments notice.

She grinned in glee as one man thought he had the advantage and leaped at her, his saber flashing downward in a dazzlingly fast slash. Quick as the snakes her taijutsu emulated, she slipped forward, inside the man's reach, and jammed a kunai straight up, pinning his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

As the first target fell, two more rushed her, their weapons spinning in a decent display of swordsmanship. She waited as they circled her,each moving a different direction, till she was pressed from both sides.

She watched, examining every move the two made, and finally caught the tell, that single movement that gave her the advantage. The man in front of her nodded, almost imperceptibly, but it was enough. The man behind her brought his blade in low, attempting to slash her legs out from the back. At the same time, the man in front anticipated the maneuver, and brought his blade in at shoulder level, hoping to catch the purple haired ninja in a cross-slash.

Neither expected the girl to leap up and spin horizontally in mid-air, her body slipping between the two blades. The two men stood there in surprise, as the girl landed on her feet again. Even more of a surprise were the kunai that sprouted from their chests.

Drawing two more blades, Anko crouched, waiting for her next victim to volunteer.

-=0000000=-

Sakura and the back up she'd requested crept through the barracks room, silencing the sleeping men forever. Sakura and the clone worked one side, slitting throats, while the two gray wolves worked the other, clamping down on throats with enough force to snap bone, enough to guarantee an instant death.

Sakura was almost finished with her side when the screams of pain from outside the barracks sounded the alarm.

"Team, orders are to go loud! Leave no survivors!" crackled over the headset. Sakura straightened up, and began flipping through a series of hand-seals.

"**'Ninpō: Kanashibari no Jutsu!'**" The bandits rising from their beds froze as the jutsu washed over them. Some seemed to be fighting it, but the two wolves handled them.

The others were frozen in place, the paralyzing power of Sakura's jutsu holding them there, too weak willed to break free. Sakura nodded to herself as she made her way on down her row. _'Yep, that's a good one. Worked pretty well!'_ she thought as she mercilessly slid her blade into the throat of the last bandit in the building.

"Ugh. I could do that everyday, and never be ok with it," she complained to the clone, who simply shrugged.

-=0000000=-

Naruto grinned as a group of bandits raced toward him. Making the custom hand-seal that was becoming second nature, he created a single Kage Bunshin.

Naruto quickly flashed though the seals need for his newest jutsu, and exhaled several fireballs at the oncoming bandits. Three of them fell, screaming, as the flames licked at their bodies. Naruto dropped to his knees, trying to catch his breath. It was the only drawback to using Katon, the loss of most of the oxygen in your lungs.

The clone saw several more bandits coming up from behind the cluster of burning bandits writhing on the ground. He knew he only had limited chakra. "Take a breather boss, I've got this."

Naruto watched as his clone fired a **'Fūton: Reppūshō' **at the bandits that were rushing them now. The results were unexpected. The rushing bandits were blown back, and the flames eating away at the corpses were turned into raging infernos, towering above the ground.

_'Wow... that's fucking awesome!' _he thought as he got to his feet. He pulled out a kunai and charged the remaining bandits, a shit-eating grin spread across his face. _'Note to self: Katon and Fūton are fun to mix.'_

-=0000000=-

The camp was cleared out pretty quickly after the initial onslaught, but the prisoners were nowhere to be found. After they piled up the corpses of the bandits and burned them, Hana told them to search the buildings for any clues. They found nothing, and were near the point of giving up, until, in one building, they found a map that lead to a smaller, second encampment. The three genin brought the map to their teacher, who was currently going over a few documents that the leader of the camp had left behind.

"Hana-sensei, what's the plan for this one? It's close, and we could probably get in and out of there fairly quickly," Naruto said, going over the map one more time.

Hana nodded. "Yeah, we could. But we still need to scout the area first. It's a mistake to ever go into a battle zone without properly understanding the terrain and features around your position." The four leaf nin pored over the map, discussing various tactics. Sakura pulled out the topographic map she'd borrowed from the village elder that morning, which helped them plan. The new where the high ground was, and the best ways to get into the secondary encampment.

"Now, we know there's at least one ninja. The bandits we fought on the road confirmed that. We can easily assume that he or she is at this other base. That is the factor we need to worry about. We don't know anything about this nin. We don't know rank, affiliation, or abilities. Not taking a complete unknown like that into account is like lighting a match in a hospital's oxygen storage room. It might not kill you, but it's still a damn stupid idea."

The three Genin and their teacher left the ruined camp, and made their way back to the village to rest, plans for the final assault later that afternoon ready in their heads.

-=0000000=-

Leaves fell softly as the wind rustled through the branches. The cave system was right where the map said it would be, but the approaching ninja were cautious. There were definite signs of a ninja's presence, evidenced by the many cleverly hidden kunai and shuriken traps. There were even a few explosive notes keyed to go off when trip wires were snagged by unsuspecting passerby.

Naruto and Anko set about deactivating the traps, while Hana and Sakura set out to scout the surrounding area. A short while later, the four regrouped, and slowly made their way into the caves.

The interior of the cavern was surprisingly well lit, and the tunnel was quite clear of any obstructions. Naruto took point, and began making his way through the tunnel. There weren't any side chambers that they noticed, unless they were well hidden and camouflaged. After several hundred yards, the tunnel suddenly widened out. The room beyond was large, and the walls were lined with cages. Inside the cages were dozens of children, all ranging from six to twelve years old.

Naruto stopped suddenly, and held up his hand in a fist, signaling his team to close ranks and stay quiet. He reached up and keyed his throat mike, and whispered to the others.

"_I thought there were only a few girls missing? There has to be at least fifty here!" _Hana gave him a look. There were obviously girls from other villages here.

The four ninja jumped when a voice rang out. "Who's there! Sato, is that you? There's not supposed to be a delivery till tonight."

Naruto and the others looked for cover, but there wasn't anything to hide behind. While they scrambled, a man stepped out from the shadows at the far end of the room, his face still hidden. The man stopped short when he saw the team from Konoha, focusing on the older woman.

"Those marks... You're an Inuzuka, aren't you?" The man strode forward. His face finally left the shadows, revealing skin that was scarred and marked. He wore a headband, a faded blue scrap of cloth with a metal plate on it. There was a symbol on it, but the metal was scratched, scuffed and dented to the point that it was difficult to see it clearly.

The man also wore a vest, faded to the point of being white. The style was unmistakable though. Naruto stared long and hard at the man. "Hey! You're a Konoha nuke-nin aren't you!"

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder, the steady pressure a sign from his teacher to simmer down. He turned to her, his eyes questioning. "What's wrong, sensei?"

"A sensei? Has it really been that long? Last time I saw you, it was just before I escaped the village. You were still a little girl back then." The man paused, his hand on his chin. "Tell me, how's Kiba?"

"That's none of your concern, Biyoku-teme!" the Jōnin shouted, anger evident as she slipped into her family's taijutsu stance. Sakura stepped up and placed a hand on Hana's arm. The simple touch seemed to bring Hana out of it, calming her somewhat.

"Sensei," Sakura started, eyes trained on the man, trying to recall the bingo book she'd left at home. The name Biyoku was important, she knew that, but she simply couldn't remember why. "Who is this man?"

"This man is a traitor to Konoha, and a slaver." She paused long enough to summon the Haimaru, who immediately became hostile towards the man. "And our orders stand. He is to be eliminated like the rest of them."

"Hana, that hurts," the man said, lowering his eyes. "It's been a long time," he whispered as he stepped into the central clearing. "Quite a long time, hasn't it, daughter?"


	13. Chapter 13 Battle Between Generations

**Author's Notes**: Not much to say here. This chapter introduces a huge deviation from canon, and I hope everyone enjoys it. Also, starting next chapter, I will be going back and changing all the japanese jutsu names to english. Not things like kekkei genkai, or other names that ae common, like the sharingan, just jutsu names. It's easier to name custom jutsu in english, you know?

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto. I do however own the events that transpire in this chapter of BSSC.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 13**

_Hana hid behind the tree as her parents faced off. They had been fighting for several minutes, and both were dirty and bleeding. She didn't understand what had happened, only that her daddy had done something very bad._

_In actuality, Orochimaru had just been discovered doing experiments on citizens of Konoha, and had fled, leaving everything behind. The investigators did some digging, and discovered that Orochimaru had had an accomplice. Every victim had mentioned seeing strange marks on the face of their assailant._

_Biyoku was seen leaving one of Orochimaru's underground lairs later that day. The investigators put it all together, and an ANBU team had been dispatched. He fled home, hoping to gather a few things before leaving. He hadn't anticipated Tsume discovering his files he kept on potential targets. Now she had called him out, in front of the entire clan, while the ANBU team watched from the wall._

"_Why! Why do this? Why endanger everything we have here? Why put our pups at risk!" she screamed as her claws dug bloody furrows across his arms. Biyoku laughed, a crazed look in his eyes._

"_Orochimaru-sama was going to take over the village, and then we would have been on top, where we rightly should be! Orochimaru would have elevated us, the Inuzuka, to their rightful place among the clans of Konoha, even above the Uchiha and Hyūga! I did this for us, babe! I did it for Hana and for little Kiba!"_

"_Horseshit!" she snarled, swiping at him again. "This was for you and your own greed! The Inuzuka have never craved attention, nor glory! We've always been happy with the lot we've carved out here! We have respect for things that we've done to earn it, and our pups are safe!" _

"_The other clans still see us as commoners, and we're clearly not! I just want to see our family get what it deserves!" he said as he dodged several more swipes. He was caught unawares, though, when Tsume dove forward, her body twisting into a chakra-enhanced drill. There was a huge burst of smoke and debris as Biyoku was slammed into a wall, and when it cleared, he was ragged and breathing heavily. Tsume landed a few yard from him, a sad look on her face._

"_Biyoku, you've lost the right to wear those fangs," she said, loud enough for all to hear. "As the new head of the Inuzuka clan, I hereby expel you." As she finished, she went through a short series of hand seals, and in her next breath, a gout of flame erupted from her pursed lips._

_Biyoku, still dazed from the surprise **'Tsūga'**, had no chance of dodging the attack. He screamed as the flames licked at his skin, burning him severely. He dropped to the ground, beating at his face with his hands, desperate to put the flames out. Tsume nodded to one of the bystanders, who proceeded to put out the flame with a Suiton jutsu. _

_Coughing and spluttering, Biyoku rose to his feet, his skin smoking. "Byakumaru! Tear that traitorous whore's throat out!"_

_Off to the side, a large white dog slowly rose to his feet. Normally he would have joined his partner in battle, but this was a fight between mates, and one didn't interfere with things of that nature. Slowly he made his way over to the battle._

_Biyoku smirked, but that quickly changed to a look of confusion, then to one of rage, as his longtime partner moved to stand beside Tsume. "Biyoku, can't you feel that our bond is broken, or has your heart been corrupted to the point of not feeling that pain?_

"_The minute you put your self above the pack, put yourself above those you swore to protect, the bond began to weaken. Now, I must stand beside the Alpha, and if forced to, I will defend her with my life." He crouched, and flattened his ears, fangs bared. "We all will."_

_At that point, Biyoku saw that the other members of the clan were gathering around the new Alpha, backing her. With a snarl, he surged his chakra, and vanished, using **'Shunshin'** to appear on a rooftop several hundred yards away. Without looking back, he began leaping from rooftop to rooftop, ANBU close on his heels._

_-End-_

"Do not make the mistake of calling me daughter ever again, you sick bastard!That relationship ended a long time ago!" Hana snarled as she glared at the man. Her gut instinct was to rush him, to tear his head off, but her rational side proved to be stronger, reminding her that he'd been a Jōnin for as long as she'd been alive.

"I take it you're here for the girls?" he asked, after taking a moment to assess the situation. "Well, I'm sorry, but these girls are my bread and butter. You see, foreign courts and rich nobles pay well for these young girls, because they're so easily trained. Make good servants, maids, that kind of thing."

The scarred ninja took on a thoughtful pose then. "I have suspicions about one of my customer's intentions with the girls, but if he has the coin, I've got the product. Once the money is in my hand, I could care less what happens to them, you know?" he said as he shrugged.

Anko, eyes narrowed, stared hard at the man, wondering where she had seen him before. In her mind she replaced the scars on his cheeks with the red fangs of the Inuzuka, and it clicked. "You knew Orochimaru, didn't you?"

Biyoku nodded. "I was once his servant. Orochimaru promised me power in return for test subjects. At first I refused, but he showed me the immortality jutsu he was working on at the time, and it convinced me. After I left Konoha, I tried to find him, but I didn't have much luck. So I started this little enterprise."

Naruto had had enough. Most of the girls in those cages were around his age, but some were much younger. He tried to imagine the pain and grief those families felt, and it only enraged him even more. "You're one twisted bastard! I'm gonna enjoy stomping a new mud hole into your ass!" he cried as he leaped forward, kunai in hand. His forward momentum came to a sudden halt when a firm hand gripped his collar and reeled him in.

Hana released Naruto once he was standing with the group again. "This one is mine, pups. He's too much for you to handle. Biyoku is a B-rank nuke-nin, and a former Jōnin," she said as the Haimaru gathered around her. "Besides, this is personal. This bastard tore my family apart. Kiba grew up without a dad because of him."

The Genin nodded, and stepped back to a safe distance. Truth be told, they were kind of excited. They had all had their turn sparring with their sensei, but they'd never witnessed her going all out. As the Genin watched, Hana pulled out her bottle of soldier pills and gave one to each of the Haimaru before popping one herself. The effect was immediate, as each of the Haimaru instantly became more feral, their coats becoming shaggier, their muscles bigger and thicker.

Due to an interesting tweak in the Inuzuka Clan's DNA, using soldier pills brought their feral side to the surface, and this strange mutation became part of the ninken they partnered with through their bond. The effect was much the same with Hana. Moments after chewing and swallowing the pill, her normally gentle eyes took on the slitted, animalistic look that many of her other kinsmen had. Her nails grew thicker, and harder, and her canine teeth became sharper and longer. Like the Haimaru, her muscles seemed to bulge and thicken as well.

Biyoku took all this in without batting an eye. He was curious about her companions though. "Those aren't ninken, are they? Gray wolves, by the look of it." Grinning, he pulled a small whistle out of a pocket and blew a short, sharp blast. There was a rumbling in the back of the cave, from the side chamber where Biyoku had come from.

None of them expected the massive creature that emerged from the room. Its fur was jet black, and its eyes glowed with a strange inner light. Dripping, yellowed teeth protruded from its mouth, and its claws clicked on the rough stone floor with each step. It stood nearly shoulder to shoulder with Biyoku, and stared down at the Konoha team with what could only be called disgust.

"Do I get to eat them, Biyoku-sama?" it asked, its voice deep and sort of hollow.

Hana started, not expecting the creature to talk. "What is this? How is it that thing can speak? Our ninken only learn to talk because of the bond!"

Biyoku laughed, a harsh barking sound. "Girl! I spent nearly ten years as the head of that clan. I put the clan marks on dozens of our people. Did you think I wouldn't know how to replace my own?" he asked as he raised his arms, revealing black fang marks, with strange red symbols swirled through them.

"As for Duzell here, well, he's my companion. Of course, he wasn't always this big. He was born a timber wolf, and I managed to find him after a hunter killed his mother. I raised him, and before long he had bonded with me.

"His current good looks though, well, that's a gift from Orochimaru. We ran into him out in Rice Country about eight years ago. In return for some new guinea pigs, he offered to... enhance Duzell for me," he said, patting the big wolf on the side. "This was the result."

"Orochimaru-sama was too kind. He gave me many gifts, and pushed me past the limits of nature, creating, through me, a superior breed. As he did for Biyoku-sama."

Biyoku patted the creature's neck, laughing. "Now, now. Don't go giving away all my secrets. Gotta have some sort of ace up my sleeve."

Hana slipped into her taijutsu stance, her legs wide and bent, her body low to the ground. "You three handle that thing he calls a companion. I'll handle the traitor," she whispered to her wolves, who moved away to face the monster.

The nuke-nin grinned, and motioned for Duzell to go after them. "Show them why you are now the dominant species." As Duzell moved away, Biyoku dropped into his taijutsu stance, a stance that was similar in many ways to Hana's, but also different in its own right.

At some unseen signal, the two combatants rushed forward. Hana opened the fight, her younger age giving her a slight edge in speed. She swiped out at the man with claws extended. Biyoku simply dodged out of the way with a cartwheel, and dropped back into his stance, a strange form which constantly moved back and forth. Hana moved back toward him, and lashed out with a sweeping kick. Biyoku threw himself backwards, landing on his back, body bent in half. In the next movement, his legs were thrown forward, and the momentum lifted his body off the ground and back to his feet.

This time, Biyoku attacked, a sweeping kick that used his hands for balance. Hana dodged, and was ready to attack again, not expecting Biyoku to continue spinning, rising into a handstand. He ran forward on his hands, legs kicking rapidly. Hana was hard pressed to block and dodge each one, and every so often one would slip past her guard, the heavy boots the nuke-nin wore causing pain with each strike.

Hana backed off for a moment, watching as her opponent continued to stand on his hands. Suddenly she darted forward, right hand extended, claws glinting in the light. Biyoku started to spin, aiming to knock her hand wide with the first strike, and to knock her out with the second. Hana charged straight in, and her hand was knocked wide, as the scarred shinobi had planned. In a surprise maneuver, Hana spun with the blow, turning a complete rotation, and whipped her other hand forward, the kunai there leaving it at near terminal velocity from the force behind the throw.

Biyoku, still spinning, had no chance to dodge or block the missile as it flew forward, and lodged itself in his spine, toppling him to the ground. He grunted in pain, his years of training not allowing him to cry out. He struggled to get to his feet, to no avail. His legs simply would not respond. Hana stalked over to him, eyes hard and cold. "I'm taking your head back to Konoha. That's all they need as proof of your death." She stopped, stunned as Biyoku simply laughed.

"You think I'm done, girl? This is nowhere near the end of this fight." As he said that, a dark purple chakra welled up around him, the aura rolling off of it terrifying and foul.

-=0000000=-

The Haimaru fought against the giant wolf creature, using tactics that always had one of them in a position to attack from the flank. The tactics worked, for a while, until Duzell caught them off guard by suddenly spinning, and catching the flanking wolf in mid-leap. Duzell's massive paw smacked soundly into the poor creature, and Slate was sent flying. There was a resounding clang as the wolf hit the bars of an empty cage, and fell, limp.

The other two brothers, having witnessed the fall of one of their kin, seemed to lose it, and rushed in. Ash leaped off the other's back and latched onto Duzell's throat. The other, Dusty, clamped his jaws around the black wolf's leg with all the force it could muster.

Duzell howled, and shook wildly, attempting to dislodge the creature his neck. With a great heave, Ash was sent flying. The wolf landed safely on his feet, and proceeded to sit down. With what could only be called revulsion, he let a large chunk of meat and fur fall from his maw. His brother soon joined him, having let go the moment Ash had been thrown.

Duzell's breathing became ragged as blood spilled out of the wound in his throat, and his vision began to blur. With a howl of rage, he crouched low to the ground, and a strange, sickly yellow chakra began to envelop his body. His wound began to close, and his body began to change. Bone spurs began to sprout from his body, several along his spine, and one from each of his shoulder blades. There were several along his jaw, giving his already frightening visage a demonic, evil look.

"You see, this is one of the gifts that Orochimaru-sama gave to me, the first of the Dire Wolves. Gaze upon my power and tremble, pups!" the great beast howled as he charged forward. The Haimaru, showing no fear, charged in again.

-=0000000=-

Sakura moved around the edge of the room and to the side of the fallen wolf. Slate had been thrown into a steel cage, and was still. Without moving him, Sakura checked for signs of life, and was glad when she found a steady heart beat and regular breathing.

_'Okay, just unconscious. Check for any breakages in the vital areas,' _she reminded herself, as she scanned the dog for breaks in the neck, spine and head. Not finding any visible signs, she produced a vial of smelling salts from her pouch and waved them under the canine's sensitive snout. With a yelp, the creature woke up, rubbing its nose along the floor in an attempt to get the vile scent out.

"Sorry, but I needed to make sure you were ok." The dog, limping and obviously in pain still, licked her cheek. "Thanks. I really needed that," she said sarcastically. "You should come wait with us. You're in no condition to fight." The wolf looked at her, head cocked to the side, before running off to join his brothers in battle.

_'I wonder if they can actually understand us, or if I'm going nuts.'_

-=0000000=-

Hana stepped back, wary of the strange chakra. She wasn't sure what was going on, but the feel was wrong, like what she felt when the Kyūbi attacked Konoha, though no where near as perverse as that. She couldn't believe her eyes when Biyoku stoop up and stretched, his joints popping and cracking as he rose to his full height. He reached behind him and yanked the kunai out of his spine, the dagger making a sickening squelch as it pulled free of the wound, which rapidly closed. "Now do you see, Tsume!" the man asked, his voice strange, his eyes crazed. "This is the power that Lord Orochimaru gave to me! This is the power that all the clan should have, and will have, once Orochimaru takes over!"

Hana backed up. "I'm not Tsume, I'm Hana, her daughter." Hana wasn't sure, but whatever was affecting the man had thrown his mind back in time. He thought he was battling Tsume outside the house the day he'd been thrown out of the clan.

Across the room, Anko jerked in shock. That strange chakra, the feel of it, was all too familiar to her. "Hana-sensei! Please be careful! He has a Curse Mark! That chakra is Orochimaru's!"

Hana looked back for just a moment to acknowledge her student, then turned back to the upcoming fight in front of her.

The scarred ninja stalked forward, every step bringing about change. He grew taller, and his muscles bulged, becoming thicker and more corded. His skin grew darker, and dark, coarse hair, akin to a dog's fur, began sprouting over his body. His face changed as well, growing longer and sprouting several whiskers. Dripping white fangs peeked out from under his lips, and his eyes now had an eerie red shine to them, much like the monster wolf's did.

Hana stared at what she saw before her. Where Biyoku once stood, there was now a hulking creature that seemed part man and part wolf. Strange black markings covered its body, and it radiated power. Hana forced herself to calm down, and face this threat.

-=0000000=-

Naruto was having trouble holding still. His sensei's fight was getting interesting, her opponent becoming some strange hybrid wolf-man, and that crazy looking wolf the Haimaru were fighting had just gotten crazier looking. All in all, it had his blood boiling, and he wanted to fight.

"I'm gonna go help the wolves. Hana-sensei said to stay out of the fight with her dad. Never said anything about the monster," he said suddenly, leaping to his feet. Before either of his teammates could stop him, he leaped forward, and into the fray.

Anko sat there, staring dumbfounded at her boyfriend's recklessness, and apparent genius. She was spoiling for a fight too, the sight of blood and battle getting her heart racing. With a look to Sakura and a shrug, she joined in the fight against the monster alongside the blonde. Sakura sighed, her palm against her face. _'Why are my teammates so... so... so them?'_ she asked herself. She decided to stay out of it and act as emergency first-aid if needed. _'Knowing my luck, they'll need it, a lot.'_

Naruto ran forward, and jumped high, his foot coming down on the great beast's head. Normally, an attack of that power and force would have caused the recipient great pain, but Duzell looked at the boy and howled, as a spur of bone shot out of the point of contact. Naruto jumped back and spun, barely avoiding getting skewered by the calcium-based projectile. "What the hell is that? It can shoot bones at us, too?" he asked, sighing as he dodged a second missile. "Why are all the villains we fight always so strange?"

Anko shrugged, as she avoided a slash from the beasts claws. "I dunno, but it's more fun than chasing Tora, so I'll put up with it." Naruto nodded and ducked low to avoid a biting attack that the wolf aimed his way.

Meanwhile, the wolf brothers had backed off, using the Genin's assistance to take a breather. Slate was still limping, and Ash had lost an ear. Dusty was the worst of the bunch, his right eye was badly injured, and he would probably never be able to see out of it again. That was the worst part of it though. The rest of their injuries were minor cuts and bruises, but they were still grateful for the brief respite.

Anko spun as she unleashed her **'Sen'eijashu'**, the vipers biting into the dire wolf's side. Duzell launched several bone spurs at her, in response. Laughing, he taunted her as one bone pierced her shoulder and pinned her to the cave wall. "Those vipers, their poison is nothing to me, and now you will be my first meal. I haven't eaten yet this day, and you look tasty."

-=0000000=-

Deep in the recesses of Naruto's mind, a low rumbling began. This, this was the moment he had been waiting for. This was the moment he would be freed. With a great roar, the fox pulled on the strands of his host's consciousness, and summoned his host to him.

-=0000000=-

Naruto was stunned. One moment he was fighting, and the next, he was in a dank tunnel that smelled faintly of miso and pork. "What the hell? How did I end up here?" he asked aloud, looking around. He started when a deep rumbling voice echoed down the halls to him.

"**Do not delay, fool. Your mate is in danger, so if you want to help her, come to me."**

Naruto immediately recognized, though he wasn't sure how, that the fox was speaking to him. _'So, this is must be my mind. A sewer filled with the smells of ramen... strange,' _he thought to himself as he dashed down the tunnels to the fox's chamber. He wasn't sure how he knew to get there, just that he did.

What he saw was not what he expected. There, in a room closed off by enormous bars, was the Kyūbi, in all his demonic glory. Naruto looked him over, and shrugged. "So you're the reason I'm a pariah... meh, you don't really seem all that scary."

" **I am the Kyūbi no Kitsune, lord of all the Bijū! Nations tremble in fear at the mere mention of my name!"** the fox roared at he threw himself against the cage bars, only to be thrown back by a burst of power.

Naruto shrugged again. "Lotta good that does you now, huh? I've got a monster to fight, and I don't really have time to waste here in a verbal spar. Say your piece and let me get back to saving my girlfriend."

The fox grinned, a rumbling chuckle emerging from his lips. **"Right now, out there, your vixen is on the verge of being eaten. That thing, Duzell, he's not normal. His ability with those bones, it's the now extinct Kaguya Clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Shikotsumyaku. He will be difficult to defeat, especially if he can do what others with that ability could, and layer bone under his skin as armor."**

Naruto scoffed. He was getting annoyed with the fox. "So what if he can? Bone breaks. Why am I wasting time here?"

" **Brat! Time here flows differently than out there. This entire conversation has taken less than a nanosecond outside your head." **The great fox shook his head. **"The Shikotsumyaku allows the user to make bones thicker and harder than diamond if they want! Nothing short of one of your fa- the Yondaime's techniques would be able to pierce that armor. That or the power of a Bijū."**

Naruto didn't catch the slip, instead contemplating the fox's words. "Well, I don't know any of the Yondaime's moves, but I have you. So give me some chakra, you freeloader."

"**Insolent fool! You think you have the power and strength to come here and demand from me! Begone, and save your mate yourself, if you can!"**

Naruto stood there, thinking. If what the beast said was true, it would be nearly impossible for them to beat the beast alone. Resigned, he turned back to the fox. "Ok, if I say I want your help, what do you want from me in return?"

"**Simple. A small measure of freedom. I want to be out in the real world again. Do you know that I haven't eaten or drank anything in twelve years?" **

Naruto looked at the fox. "But there's water everywhere... why not just drink some of that?"

"**I could drink the water on the ground, but I have standards, and it's not like I actually need it or anything. I just enjoy the taste of good food and drink. I also miss the feeling of actually moving around. I've had this cramp in my left hind leg for about nine years now, and it's starting to bother me."**

"Yeah, but how do I know that you won't destroy everything in existence the moment you are out? I'm blonde, but not that much of an idiot, you know."

**"Kid, listen, I never meant to attack Konoha. My last jinchūriki... I was torn out of her by the one wearing the mask. See, a jinchūriki's seal is at its weakest when the jinchūriki is pregnant and on the verge of giving birth, and this man seemed to know that. He had a Sharingan, and used its power to control me." **The great fox laid his head on his paws, eyes closed. **"To think, the Sharingan has the power to dominate a Bijū, and the king of them at that."**

Naruto simply stared at the fox, looking for any hint that it was lying. "How does it work? How would I give you freedom and ensure the safety of my friends and loved ones at the same time?"

The fox opened one eye, and looked at the boy curiously. **"There is a technique that I will teach you. I want you to use it to put my soul into another body, a physical one. Basically, the seal will still function, and prevent me from being able to do anything, but I'll be able to move about on my own." **The fox cocked his head to the side. **"Think of it like this. This is my cage, and you obviously, the jailer. This technique will be like putting a leash on me instead. You're still in control, but I'm allowed a bit of leeway."**

Naruto's eyes dropped, as he considered the fox's words. He couldn't sense any manipulations or lies in the Kyūbi's voice, and he'd become quite good at detecting that over the years. He never counted the Mizuki incident against that, since he was in a bad emotional state then. Deciding to trust his instincts, Naruto turned his gaze back to the fox. "I'll do it. I'll find a body for you to inhabit, and you'll give me this power to use when I need it. That's the deal. No whining when I ask for it, to trying to get out of it, just give it up. Also, I want your word as the Lord of the Bijū that you won't destroy anything, unless I say it's ok."

The fox fixed his eyes on the small blonde. **"Done. On my word as the Lord of the Bijū, I won't destroy anything without permission, save the man in the mask, the one-eyed Uchiha. He is mine, gaki."**

Naruto grinned up at the fox. "Good enough for me. One question though... Why does your chakra cause me to go into a rage?"

"**My chakra is potent, forged and earned over the course of ten-thousand years. That is the natural essence of my chakra, chakra forged from the need to survive. I wasn't always the lord of the Bijū you know. Anyways, the rage you feel will happen. It's a natural side effect, and until you learn to control my chakra and regulate its levels when you use it, it's going to be one of the consequences."**

Naruto grinned. "Then it's a deal," he said, flashing a thumbs up at the Kyūbi.

The great fox just nodded, as a haze of red chakra seeped through the bars, and enveloped the blonde.


	14. Chapter 14 Anko Takes Charge

**Author's Notes**:I mentioned that I would be changing the Japanese jutsu names into English starting this chapter. Yeah, not happening. I decided that I want to keep it the way it is. It forces me to actually do research on the terms and possible ways to present any new jutsu I develop, and it also sounds better. I mean, 'Tsuin Gatsūga' sounds way cooler than 'Twin Fang Over Fang'.

By the way, those wanting to try learning a new language should really try Rosetta Stone. It's expensive as all hell, but my brother managed to learn and become fluent in spanish in under six months. I'm thinking about buying the japanese pack, just cause it seems to work so well.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto. I do own the events that happen in this chapter.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 14**

Anko stared at the creature approaching her in fear, an emotion she wasn't too fond of or used to. It's breath stank of decay, and triggered her gag reflex. She tried to cry out, but the creature was blasting her with such a malevolent aura, it was hard to just breathe. She closed her eyes, hoping to avoid watching as the final stroke came down on her. After a few moments without feeling anything, she opened her eyes, her curiosity getting the best of her.

What she saw was not what she expected. The great beast was locked tooth to blade with Naruto, who was bathed in the Kyūbi's chakra. His duelist's kunai had a strange chakra shroud over it, shaped more like a zanbatō than anything. "Naruto-kun! What happened?"

Naruto looked back, grinning. "Well, let's say the fox and I have come to an agreement of sorts," he said, his voice rougher and deeper than normal. "I'll explain more later. Right now I've got to deal with a bad dog that needs to be put down."

With a surge of chakra, Naruto forced Duzell back. The dire wolf howled as several razor sharp bone spurs shot out of it's shoulders, flying toward the young blonde. Anko watched in horror as the projectiles pierced Naruto, his body lying in a heap on the ground. She almost screamed when the corpse simply vanished, gone in a puff of smoke. Naruto stood off to the side, sword in hand.

"Is that all, you mangy bag of fleas? I've had more fun playing with the strays in the alleys of Konoha. I mean really? You look all big and bad-ass, but you're still a puppy, apparently," Naruto said as he dashed forward, sword poised to strike.

Duzell raised a paw to bat away the annoying pest, but wasn't prepared for the blond to suddenly split into several clones, each coming from a different direction.

The first to reach the wolf was batted away, vanishing in a puff of smoke, but the wolf wasn't able to block or redirect the others. Two slashed at the tendons in his legs, their chakra enhanced blades easily slicing through the bone plating he had layered over his vital points. Two more clones stabbed him in either flank, piercing his lungs. The last two came in from the front, one dropping low to plunge his blade into the wolf's heart, while the other drove his into the creature's skull.

Duzell felt himself falling as his Achilles tendons were severed, felt the blood rushing into his lungs as they were cut open, felt a blade pierce his heart, spilling his life essence on the floor. Then, in an instant, he felt no more.

-=0000000=-

Hana flinched as the surge of chakra hit her, the air filled with power. Biyoku noticed it too, and turned. "I heard the Kyūbi had been sealed into a child of the village. To think that he's on my daughter's Genin team," he said, having apparently regained his senses. "Orochimaru-sama would pay me handsomely for a specimen like that." He turned his gaze back to Hana. "Let's end this, daughter."

Hana growled, her hackles rising with every utterance of the word daughter. "I warned you earlier. Do not make the mistake of calling me daughter, you monster." At that she stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled, calling the Haimaru over to her side. "Are you ready boys?" she asked them, as she gathered chakra. "**'Jūjin Bunshin'**!" she cried as her chakra swirled outward, enveloping the Haimaru in a great cloud of smoke.

When it cleared, there were four identical copies of Hana standing there, flexing their claws. With a rush they attacked the wolf-man that was once known as Biyoku. They worked as a perfect unit, covering each other with efficiency and grace.

Within moments, the hybrid-creature was covered in wounds, all bleeding profusely. Hana and the trio of clones stopped their attacks, and waited for Biyoku to die. They were not expecting him to begin laughing maniacally.

"Is that it? You think that's enough to stop me? I am blessed by Orochimaru-sama! I am one of the chosen, selected to bear his mark! Your puny attacks are nothing against me!" he roared as his wounds began to close. Grinning he began to gather chakra, forming it into a small ball in front of his face. "This next attack I developed after witnessing the Sanbi fighting off a group of Kiri hunter-nins," he said as he began to eat the ball of condensed chakra.

Hana stared as the ball of chakra suddenly expanded in the beast's throat. In the next instant, a blast of powerful energy erupted from it's gaping maw. Hana couldn't dodge fast enough, and was thrown backward. Her body hit the wall hard, and she screamed in pain. Wincing, she rose to her feet. _'I have to end this. There's no way I could survive another of those attacks. I guess it's time to use that attack.'_

Hana called for the Haimaru, and the wolves, still in clone form, closed in around her. "Biyoku, this is over. I can't allow you to go on any further. You've destroyed countless lives, countless families, mine included. This ends now!"

In a flash, the four images of Hana dove forward. "**'Tsuin Gatsūga!'**" she cried, as they became spinning missiles enhanced by chakra. Biyoku did his best to dodge and block the techniques, and managed to do so quite well. He still took more than a few hits, but it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. The only surprise was that two of the spinning attackers were rotating counter-clockwise, which made his initial counterstrikes ineffective, and not being able to distinguish between them wasn't helping.

Hana landed several yards away, tired and sore. **'Tsuin Gatsūga'** was a powerful technique. She had no problems with using it, but the added strain of her current condition made the violent rotation painful. She growled in frustration at the sight of the still living abomination. _'Damn, that was my trump card! I've got nothing left, except __**that **__move, and it isn't finished yet!' _She shook her head, her mind made up. She had no other choice in the matter. She would have to improvise.

"Take him down, use everything you've got, I have to get ready!" she called to her likenesses, who nodded and immediately began attacking, clawing and tearing at Biyoku with a bestial abandon.

Biyoku fought back ferociously, spinning under attacks, clawing and gouging at the Haimaru whenever they got careless. By the time Hana called them back to her side, they were bloody and hurting, barely able to keep their forms.

"Now do you see? There is no point in fighting. I am the next step in human evolution. The loss of Duzell is sad, but easily replaced. There are several of his offspring with Orochimaru-sama now. Those born with his traits can only be stronger than the original, having had that power since birth." The giant wolf-man was now standing over Hana, hand poised to strike.

Hana waited as long as she could, then threw herself forward. This attack was much different, and Biyoku wasn't expecting it. Trailing behind Hana was a length of ninja wire, with dozens of kunai tied to it at random intervals. "Take this!" she cried, spinning head over heels in a forward tuck. The blast of chakra to her feet as she took off sent her spin into overdrive, turning the flipping Jōnin into a veritable buzz-saw blade driving into the wolf-man's flesh.

Biyoku roared in pain as Hana's attack dug into his body, the kunai tearing into him so deep that they scraped on bone. Not the type to waste an opportunity, the transformed wolves leaped forward, rotating into a trio of spinning projectiles that blasted Biyoku from both sides and the back.

As the dust settled, the scene it revealed was gruesome. Hana and her companions, now in their natural form, were covered in blood and wounds. Gone was the feral look in her eyes, the effects of the soldier pill long since burned away. She sighed in relief. It was over.

Across the cave, near the wall was the mangled corpse of the wolf-man creature that had once been Biyoku. Hana stalked over to it, and stared down at the scarred face of her father, watching as his body reverted to human. "I told you this was the end. I also said I'd be taking your head." She knelt down next to him, and pulled a kunai from her pouch, and proceeded to slice the head from the corpse, before sealing it into a scroll. As she turned to walk out of the cave, there was a blast from behind her, as a seal on the corpse activated. Hana felt herself lifted off the ground and thrown forward, slamming painfully into the wall of the cave. Then, there was darkness.

-=0000000=-

While Hana fought with Biyoku, Naruto freed Anko from the wall. It took several minutes to pull the spear of bone free of the wall, and another to work it out of Anko's shoulder. Naruto and the girls then proceeded to release the prisoners that were being held in the many cages along the walls of the cave. They managed to get everyone outside and started separating them into groups based on where they came from, when there was an explosion from inside.

Naruto jumped to his feet, the various small children sitting around him listening to stories of his pranks startled by the loud noise. "Anko, Sakura, stay here, watch the kids! I'm going to go help sensei!"

Naruto ran full throttle into the cave, making his way down the tunnel to the chamber where they fought the wolf and his master. It was filled with smoke, and Naruto could barely breathe.

Acting quickly, he made a dozen clones. At the same time, they all used the same jutsu. "**'Fūton: Reppūshō'**!" In a matter of moments, the room was cleared, and Naruto could easily see the damage from the explosion. Fully half the cages in the chamber were now steaming piles of slag, and the other half were damaged beyond use.

Naruto became frantic. "Sensei! Sensei! Where are you!" he cried as he dug through the various piles of rubble. His search was frenzied, because he'd noticed several large, dangerous-looking cracks running along the ceiling of the chamber, and wanted to avoid being caught in a cave-in. Finally, in one rather large pile of rubble, he found the Haimaru, badly beaten and injured. One by one, he carried them outside, after checking for serious injuries to their vital areas. Outside, the other two Genin began emergency first aid, while Naruto headed back in.

Naruto kept digging for what seemed to be hours. After digging through another pile without success, he heard it. A soft moaning sound from his left. He moved over to the pile and began pulling chunks and slabs of rock off. He dug furiously, and eventually found the bottom of the pile. By pure chance of fate, the first slabs that had fallen managed to form a small shell over her, protecting her from the majority of the falling rocks.

Hana was still in bad shape. Her right side was bleeding badly, and her arms and legs were both fractured, if not broken completely. The worst part was that she wouldn't wake up, and nothing Naruto tried seemed to help.

Gingerly, Naruto began checking for injuries, and was grateful to find that she wasn't hurt any worse than what she was. Her back and neck were fine. As carefully as he could, the blonde picked up his sensei, taking care not to jar her too much. Slowly, he made his way out of the cave.

Outside, Anko and Sakura had just finished stabilizing Ash, when Naruto walked out of the cave, Hana in his arms. Sakura noticed them at the same moment, and rushed over to his side, while Anko went into the cave once again.

"Naruto, how bad is it?" Sakura asked, thankful that Hana thought it prudent to train them in emergency first aid at the very beginning, during their first month living together.

"Arms and legs broken, not sure how bad though. Lacerations all over her body, and burns across the rest. She needs a doctor, bad."

Anko emerged from the cave then, face grim. "That explosion was a dead-man seal. From what I've read, and from class with Iruka, nuke-nin use them so that even if they die, the person who killed them will most likely die too. It uses the miniscule amount of electrical activity in the brain to remain stable. The minute Hana-sensei cut off the bastard's head, it triggered the seal."

Sakura nodded, and reached into her sensei's pouch, finally pulling out a pair of scrolls. One she handed to Anko, telling her to keep it in her pouch. The other, smaller scroll was quickly opened. She pulled out a pen and began writing a field report, after releasing a messenger bird from a seal near the bottom of the parchment. She tied it to the bird's leg, and set it free. The bird was a trained creature, and had a special seal on it which always pointed it back to Konoha, but more specifically, the Hokage's office.

"Now all we can do is wait, and try to keep her stable. Let's at least do what we can. I'm gonna need some straight pieces of wood, so I can set her bones," Sakura said.

**==Hokage's Office, Several Hours Later==**

Hiruzen Sarutobi took off his robes, hanging them on the hook behind his desk. He sighed and turned to leave when there was a crash behind him. Decades of battle instinct surfaced in an instant, and the old man spun and dropped into a taijutsu stance, a kunai in each hand. He wasn't expecting to see a dead emergency messenger bird lying on his desk amid a heap of broken glass.

He took the scroll off the poor creature, and opened it, reading it's contents.

_From: Sakura Haruno, Genin, Team Seven_

_Class A-3 Emergency Field Report_

_Acting under Konoha Shinobi Corps General Order 375-2.6, Anko Mitarashi, appointed by our sensei as second-in-command, is hereby taking command of Genin Team Seven. Our sensei, Hana Inuzuka, is injured, unconscious, and unable to travel under her own power. We are formally requesting a medical unit to come to our location and transport her to Konoha. We also require a veterinary unit, as our sensei's canine companions are grievously wounded as well._

_During the course of our mission, we encountered a B-rank Konoha nuke-nin, one Biyoku Inuzuka. After a lengthy battle, which will be detailed fully upon our return to the village, he was defeated. Upon defeating him, as far as we can surmise, Hana removed the man's head, which triggered a dead-man seal. The resulting explosion is the cause of our sensei's current condition._

_Also, it seems that the bandits under command of said nuke-nin have been raiding communities all around the area. Aside from the dozen children reported missing from the client town, there were thirty-one other young girls imprisoned in this slaver camp. Under Anko's command, we will spend the next few days returning the children we can to their homes. It must be assumed, though, that some of these children are now orphaned. Please send orders with the medical unit on what to do about those children left parent-less by this ordeal._

_End._

Below the final line were a set of coordinates, which Hiruzen wrote on a separate slip of paper. The Sandaime then pressed a button on his call box, and in a matter of moments, a pair of ANBU stood before him. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" they intoned as one.

"Neko, Tenzō. You are to assemble a team for an Emergency Medical Retrieval. Your destination is on this paper here. Once you arrive, you are to pass this scroll to the acting squad leader, one Anko Mitarashi. It contains their new orders," he said as he finished writing in a small scroll from his desk. "Neko. I want you to stay behind after the extraction. Do not reveal yourself, simply monitor their actions. If, for some reason, there is an incident, then, and only then, may you reveal your prescence."

Neko nodded, and the two ANBU moved to assemble their team.

**==The Cave, the next evening==**

Anko sat on guard duty, near the mouth of the cave. Anko, Naruto and Sakura moved everyone into the tunnel the day before, after determining that it was safe and not in any danger of collapsing. The violette sighed, her breath visible in the cool night air. There was sudden snap of a twig, and Anko jumped to her feet.

She drew a pair of kunai when a group of shinobi appeared in the clearing outside the cave. She was about to ask who they were, when she recognized the uniform all but two of them wore. It was a cream colored robe with a high collar, the uniform of Konoha's Shinobi Medical Corps. The other two wore ANBU masks and armor.

"I take it you're our relief team?"

The ANBU wearing the cat mask nodded, and held a scroll out for the girl to take. Anko broke the seal and quickly scanned the contents. "Understood. Everyone's inside. Please, come in."

Inside a small fire was burning, as the older girls tended to the younger ones. A small group of girls no more than five or six years of age sat around Naruto, listening raptly as he told them a story, a story about a battle for a bridge.

Hana and her companions were lying on blankets near the fire, a couple of young girls helping out by wiping down the older woman's face. The medical team quickly moved over to help out, and began evaluating the situation. One wearing the pins of a captain walked over to the Genin. "Who did the first aid?"

Sakura raised her hand. "I did. It was the only thing I could think of."

The older shinobi smiled. "Good job. If you hadn't done such a good job setting her bones, we would have had to re-break them. It's something about the higher levels of chakra us shinobi have, but a broken bone will start knitting itself together rapidly after it is broken. Just think, there are some who have faster healing than that even. Anyways, good job there. You could make a great doctor someday."

Sakura blushed. "Thanks," she said, wondering if the man knew how close that was to what her mother had originally wanted.

The medical team worked efficiently, and prepared to leave, when Naruto stopped them. "Hey, could you take a look at Anko-chan's shoulder? She took a bone spear through it, and I want to make sure she's fine." One of the medics walked over to the girl, and asked her to pull her jacket aside. Anko did so, though she kept repeating she was fine.

The woman examined Anko's shoulder, and nodded. "I can fix this, but it's gonna need stitches. We used up a lot of chakra stabilizing your sensei, and we need to keep enough to travel." Those in the clearing witnessed something they had never seen before. Anko became pale and started shivering.

"Anko-chan, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, coming over to hold her. She sighed and leaned her head on his chest.

"Ever since the mission to Wave... I've had this fear of needles. It freaks me out, sends me back to that moment."

The medic nodded, well aware of the incidents surrounding the trial and imprisonment of the last Uchiha. Reaching into a pouch, the woman pulled a small slip of paper with an intricate seal written on it.

"This is an anesthesia seal. It basically places the body in a state of suspended animation for half an hour. I should be done well within that time frame."

Anko looked at it curiously. "Side effects?"

"Maybe a bit of nausea when it's removed. The body doesn't like being put into stasis. Other than that, none. It's one hundred percent safe."

Anko nodded, and slipped out of her coat. The medic nin smiled as she put the slip of paper of the girls forehead and activated it with a pulse of chakra.

Anko's eyes closed, and the medic quickly stitched her shoulder shut. Naruto watched with a kind of morbid fascination. "Will that leave a scar?"

The medic shook her head. "If we were to let it heal like this on its own, probably. Not to worry, though. This is just a temporary stop-gap measure. Once she gets back to Konoha, we'll give her a series of chakra treatments that will heal it without leaving too much of a scar, really just a faint line."

Naruto nodded. He wasn't really worried. He was more curious than anything. The woman pulled the slip of paper from Anko's head, and the girl woke up, looking queasy. After explaining the after care instructions, the medical officer packed up her supplies, and the relief team left, Hana and the Haimaru on stretchers. Anko turned to the other two Genin.

"Hokage-sama sent new orders. We are to escort the children back to their respective villages, in compliance with our original mission. Our new orders also state that any children who are now orphaned are to be offered a place in Konoha. This is simply an offer, and does not require them to accept, obviously."

Naruto and Sakura nodded. Naruto was the next to speak, staring at the fire in front of them. "Tomorrow morning, we should head back to Tachogawa, set up a base of operations."

Sakura nodded her agreement. "We can borrow a detailed map there as well, and take time to plot out our next course of action."

Anko nodded, happy that her team was on the same wave-length. She returned to the mouth of the cave, ready to finish her shift on guard detail.

-=0000000=-

Neko watched the next day as the Genin of Team Seven made their way back to Tachogawa. The girls from that village were successfully returned to their families, amid a jumble of happy voices. The others were sitting around a large fire outside the village, where the Genin had set up a makeshift camp. While Anko and Sakura saw to the girls from Tachogawa, Naruto made it a point to stay with the others, bringing fish from a nearby stream for dinner and telling them stories of various ninja exploits he'd heard of or experienced.

That evening, Anko and Sakura made their way back to the camp, a folded up map in their possession. Through their conversations with the girls on the evening before in the cave, they had determined that there were three other communities that had been raided. Deciding to split up the work so it got done faster, the three young shinobi sat up plotting the safest routes for each group to take, as well as a back up route for each. in case anything went wrong. After several hours of planing, the Genin went to bed, Naruto taking first watch.

-=0000000=-

Naruto smiled as the village came into view. Rugai was a small place, less than half the size of Tachogawa. His group consisted of eight girls, all under the age of ten. When he walked into the village, he was shocked to see that more than half the buildings were destroyed, piles of rubble and scrap where they once stood. A man saw him walk into the village, and ran into his house, screaming about the raiders returning.

Naruto led the girls to the center of the village, and yelled as loud as he could. "Attention, citizens of Rugai! I am a shinobi of Konoha, and I've brought back your children! The men who took them are no longer among the living, and your children are freed. If your child was taken, please come out here and retrieve them." Several people poked their heads out of doors and windows.

Like a bolt of lightning, there was a mass exodus as people flooded the square. Parents clung to their children and cried, while children grabbed onto parents, tears soaking their clothes. Naruto smiled, watching as the parents grabbed their children and left. He turned to leave the village, when he noticed one of the girls, a little blonde, staring at a pile of rubble, tears pouring down her face.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"My momma lived here... she's not here to get me. The kidnapper, when he took me, he hurt my momma. He made her cry, then he broke the house, made it fall on her. My momma..."

Naruto dropped to one knee, and wrapped his arms around the girl. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Ai. Ai Inouye."

"Well, Ai, do you want to come stay in Konoha? It's a great place, and there's plenty of kids your age who would be your friend. It's not your momma, I know, but there are people there who will care for you."

Naruto smiled as the girl wiped her face. "Do you think I could grow up and be a ninja too?"."

The older blonde nodded. "Oh yeah! Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and Inari, they're about your age. They should be getting ready to go to the academy soon. I don't see why you couldn't go either. So, what do you say?"

The little girl nodded and smiled, holding the older boy's hand as they walked out of the small village.

-=0000000=-

Two days after freeing the children, the Genin met back up, each followed by an orphan or two. Before they left Tachogawa, they stopped to see one of the girls who was detailed in their original request, the only girl from the village that had lost her parents. When they offered to take her to Konoha, she said no, telling them hat the head man and his wife had offered to take her in, which she had accepted.

They set out later that day, four girls following them. Two were the same age as Naruto, one was six, and then there was Ai. "Anko-hime, Sakura-chan. This is Ai."

Anko waved, and Sakura smiled. "What's up Ai?" the pinkette asked.

Ai smiled, a huge grin that hid her eyes. "I'm gonna go live in Konoha!"

Sakura smiled. "All of you are. Konoha is great place, and the will Hokage find someone to take good care of you."

-=0000000=-

Kakashi sat at the gates of Konoha, glad that his first week of Chūnin guard duty was over. He was shocked to see Squad Seven walking towards the gate, with a small group of civilian girls in tow.

Naruto was the first to notice the silver-haired Chūnin as he sat in the small gate house. "Hey! Kakashi-sensei! Why you doin' this grunt work?" he screamed out, having called the man that since his help in the Land of Waves.

"Well, this and that, you know. How was the mission?"

"Well, we fought a nuke-nin, _again_, and we won, _again_. Same old, same old, really," Naruo said, sounding bored.

"Well. The Hokage's probably in his office right now.I take it you need to give a report?" Anko nodded. "I'll take you there. Kotetsu! Izumo! Keep an eye on things!" He yelled back to the other two guards, as he began making his way to the Hokage's Tower.

Sakura spoke up before the man could get too far ahead. "Where do we go to turn in a bounty?"

Kakashi turned to look at the pinkette. "Well, it depends. If it's a nuke-nin from a different country, you take it to the mission office, and it'll be processed for you. You'll be paid, and a bill sent to the country of origin. If it's a local bounty, take it to the Hokage, or to ANBU. Why?"

Anko sighed. "Hana-sensei fought against a nuke-nin from Konoha, and ended up taking his head. B-rank nuke-nin Biyoku Inuzuka." Kakashi nodded, and proceeded to take them to the Hokage's office.

-=0000000=-

Sarutobi smiled proudly as the Genin members of Team Seven walked into his office. "Anko, your report?" Anko stepped forward, and proceeded to go into detail about what happened during their mission. When something came up that she was unsure of, her teammates would step up and help fill-in the details. Sarutobi smiled. "Very good, Anko. An excellent report. I take it the girls behind you are the ones who accepted our offer of refuge?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. There was only one from Rugai, and she decided to come with us."

"The town of Kenishi had six girls who were orphaned, but only two chose to return with us. The others were taken in by other families in the village," Sakura said, a hand on the shoulder of both girls.

"The last village, Totoroshi, there were two orphaned girls, both of whom accepted our offer. On our way back to Tachogawa, we ran into a distant relative of one of the girls, who was coming for a visit. The relative took immediate responsibility for that girl," Anko replied, when the Sandaime looked at her.

"Good job, you three. Your sensei is awake now, and she left instructions for you. First, the bounty on Biyoku is to be split evenly between the four of you. She mentioned that your help in the end against his companion was what let her use her techniques against the creature he had become.

"Second, you have been nominated for the Chūnin exams, which start in two weeks. Since your sensei is out of commission, you'll be restricted to the city, unless you can find some one to take you out for a higher ranked mission. You will be able to do d-ranks under your second-in-command, though." The Hokage walked out from behind his desk.

"I'm very proud of you. I expect great things from you in the upcoming exams. You are dismissed." As the group turned to leave, the Hokage stopped them. "The girls, there is an orphanage over by the school that has room for all four of them. Drop them off there if you would."

The three Genin nodded and waved as they left the room, girls in tow.

-=0000000=-

The Genin stopped by the hospital right after dropping off the girls. They were worried about their teacher, and wanted to see how she was doing.

Hana was awake, and lying in bed, her arms and legs in casts. "Hey, pups. How'd everything go?"

Naruto and the others told her about the events that transpired after her falling unconscious. They told Hana about the new orders delivered by the medical unit. The Sandaime's generosity brought a smile to Hana's face.

After a while, Hana fell asleep, after telling them she'd be out and back to work in about two weeks, just in time to see them start the exams. The three went back to their apartment, and while Sakura made dinner, Naruto and Anko left to go invite a certain silver-haired shinobi over for a meal. They didn't want to be stuck doing D-ranks, and Kakashi probably wanted off guard duty.

**== Land of Rice==**

"Tsukasa-kun, bring me the files for Sasuke Uchiha. Also, have Dosu and his teammates come to me immediately. I've chosen my mark's new recipient, and I will need to have a group ready to test him once he receives it," the snake said as he sipped from a small cup of tea.

Tsukasa, Orochimaru's current assistant, faltered and almost dropped the stack of papers he held. "Orochimaru-sama, I gave you the updated files yesterday, didn't I? Sasuke Uchiha is no longer a ninja of Konoha. He is currently serving a minimum of ten years in prison for the attempted murder of a fellow Konoha shinobi."

The cup in Orochimaru's hand shattered. "Dammit. Very well, we have an agent in Konoha's prison, do we not? Send word to Kabuto-kun, tell him to smuggle the ingredients for the Animal Curse Mark to Mizuki. Mizuki's orders are to escape during the chaos during the Chūnin Exam Finals and bring the boy to me." Orochimaru sat back in his chair, a strange gleam in his eye. "Inform Kabuto-kun that his team is to enter the exams again this year."

Tsukasa saluted, hand across his chest. "Very well, sir." he said before turning and leaving.

**End Notes: So ends this arc, which I've dubbed "The Sins of the Father". Next time, "The Chūnin Exams!" arc begins! Will Naruto continue his training with the blade? Will Kyūbi get his body? What does the Snake Sannin have in store? Find out next time!**

**Glossary**

**Tsuin Gatsūga: **Twin Fang over Fang - Two Fang over Fang attacks executed simultaneously, with one pair of attackers spinning counter-clockwise, instead of the normal clockwise rotation.

The attack Biyoku used in his Wolf-hybrid form (basically a werewolf), was similar to the **Menacing Ball **attacks used by many of the Bijū. While nowhere near as powerful, and nowhere near as devastating, it still can do a massive amount of damage.

The attack used by Hana to finally defeat Biyoku was an early, incomplete version of her attack from the latter parts of the manga, the **'Gatenga'**. This was clearly improvised, and nowhere near complete at this time. Still, it is clearly effective, and can only get stronger.


	15. Chapter 15 The Other Jinchuriki

**Author's Notes**: One word : Gaara. Yeah that's right. Gaara appears! My buddy was excited to read this chapter. He's a bigger Gaara fan than anyone I know. _Anyone_. I hope you enjoy. I actually re-watched some of the earlier Chūnin exam episodes to try and get Gaara's initial attitude and personality right. Then I reworked him so that he appears more bloodthirsty in later appearances. Let me know how I did, ok?

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 15**

"Wake up, ladies! Hana-sensei sent orders over via messenger! We got work to do!" Naruto called out as he opened the scroll he had just been handed. Scanning the contents, he grinned.

Anko and Sakura came out of their respective rooms, both still wearing their pajamas. "Naruto-kun, what's the big news?" Anko asked as she sat down to a cup of steaming black coffee. It didn't matter who thought otherwise, to her, coffee trumped tea in the mornings any day.

Naruto handed them the scroll. "We've got work. There's only a week till the exams, and sensei says we can't get soft. So, she sent us a list of training to do, along with a d-rank. After we finish, we're to report to her at the hospital."

Sakura groaned. After so many exciting missions outside the village, she couldn't stand the thought of weeding someone's garden for them being called a mission. "You know, these d-ranks, they should be handled by academy students, give them a bit of teamwork experience."

Anko finished reading the scroll, and smiled. "At least we're working at the vet's today. A four hour shift to help with the recent string of animal injuries. It shouldn't be too bad."

Sakura perked up. She actually enjoyed working over at the vet's office. There were a pair of rabbits that had taken up residence there after their owner, a field vet, passed away on a mission. Sakura loved to hold and pet them, it was one of her weaknesses.

The three Genin quickly ate, Naruto his usual ramen overload, the others, eggs and toast. As soon as they finished breakfast, there was a mad dash for the bathroom, which Naruto won. The girls glared at him, but he smiled.

"Hey, at least you know I'll be done in fifteen minutes, flat. If you two went first, I'd be waiting till noon. Now, you've got fifteen minutes to figure out who's going next," he said as he closed the door behind him. Sakura fumed, but Anko got a devious smirk as she waited for the water to start.

The minute she heard the tell-tale splash of Naruto entering the shower, she slid the door open as quietly as she could, and slipped inside. Giggling, she placed one hand on the flush handle of the toilet. She pulled the small silver handle down, and bolted out the door, grinning as Naruto began yelping under the now scalding spray of water.

"Yahh! Holy fuck! Ow ow ow ow ow! Anko! It's not smart to prank the prank-master of Konoha! Especially if I know where you sleep!"

Anko simply grinned and sat outside the door, Sakura having returned to her room for a light nap. It wasn't that Anko was the type to take forever in the bathroom. Sakura had taken a portion of her money from the bounty on Biyoku and splurged on a rather large feather bed, which she had affectionately dubbed 'The Monster'.

True to his word, Naruto was out of the shower, dressed and ready to go fifteen minutes later. He scowled at Anko. "That wasn't very nice. I was actually in the middle of washing something important. You could have seriously injured me."

Anko pouted, her eyes wide. It was a new trick she had started using after seeing a child get her way even after her father had said no in the marketplace earlier that week. She watched more and noticed that every child seemed to know the trick, and it worked to varying degrees, depending on the user and the victim.

Naruto fought it as long as he could, but in the end, he just couldn't stay mad, not with those big honey-colored eyes staring back at him. That was another effect of the removal of the Curse Mark. Before, Anko's eyes had a dead look to them, the color muted, and the pupils seemingly gone. Now, even though it had taken time, they were a rich honey color, and normal looking to everyone else. The dead look was no longer there, instead filled with a sort of mischeviousness.

"That's not fair. I just can't hold a grudge when you look like that," the blonde said, his voice low. He pulled Anko in close and kissed her gently, his hands on her waist. Anko leaned into the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck. Naruto smiled a bit when he felt Anko run her tongue across his bottom lip. She wanted in, and Naruto was in the mood for payback.

Slowly, he left his hands drift upward, inching under the purple pajama top Anko wore. His fingers, though clumsy still, somehow managed to trace delicate patterns over her stomach. Anko shivered at his touch, her body reacting in ways she'd only experienced when alone. Her breathing became heavier, and she pressed into him. "Mmmm, Naruto-kun. Keep doing that."

"Do you like that, hime?" Naruto asked as his fingers inched, ever so slowly, higher. Anko nodded, not trusting her voice. The touch wasn't much, but coming from someone else, it felt different, and had a certain sensuality to it. "Do you really enjoy it?" Another nod. "Good."

Anko suddenly found herself against the wall, her face an image of confusion. The purple-haired Genin glared at Naruto, who was now sitting in the living room, watching a movie.

"You're evil. That felt amazing, then all of a sudden, WHAM! My back's on the wall, and you're watching a movie. What the hell gives?"

"Payback. That shower prank got me all hot, so I simply repaid the favor." He got off the couch, and made his way to her side. He wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest. "So, we even?" Anko nodded. "Well, lets go sit down and watch the movie. While we were playing around, Sakura got to the bathroom."

Anko jerked her head toward the bathroom, and sure enough, the telltale sound of the running shower hit her ears. She cursed under her breath, but perked up when a devious thought crossed her mind. Giving Naruto the signal to be quiet, she tip-toed over to the door. Naruto realized what was about to happen, and grinned.

Anko grabbed the door knob, and twisted, but nothing happened. Naruto looked over her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Anko sighed, her fun ruined. "She locked the door," she said as she made her way into the living room.

Naruto stood there a moment, dumbfounded. "There's a lock?"

**==Konoha Veterinary Hospital==**

The Konoha Veterinary Hospital stood on six acres out in the western district of the city. There, all manner of animals could be treated and cared for. The building itself wasn't that big, but most of the land was used as a stable for those upper-class citizens who had horses but not the land to properly care for them. That stable actually provided a steady stream of missions for the city.

Naruto and the girls arrived at the office with twenty minutes to spare. Naruto and Anko spent that time talking to a few of the vets and technicians with whom they'd become friends, while Sakura went over to check on her rabbit friends.

The morning progressed slowly, with very few patients coming in. The three kept busy, taking time to clean each of the kennels reserved for animals that had to stay over night for various procedures, then cleaning the general office. Normally, there would have been several complaints from the trio, but they'd all grown to love the office, having done several jobs there over their short careers.

Naruto was in the backroom sweeping, a bag of feed having been torn open by rodents and spilled across the floor, when he heard yelling and screaming from outside. Glancing out of a nearby window, he saw a group of kids gathered in a tight circle. Naruto was about to ignore it, when he saw one of the group pull a kunai from a pocket and stab something on the ground.

Like a bolt, Naruto was out the window, promising himself that he'd pay for the replacement out of his wages. There was a sudden shocked silence from the group of kids at the appearance of the blonde. "Hey, it's that kid! The one our parents say is a monster," one boy whispered to a girl near his side.

"What the hell are you punks out here doing? What were you stabbing with that kunai?"

The group all looked to their leader, who smirked. "We were doing the village a favor! My old man told me the Kyūbi is a demon born from a fox, so we're getting rid of all the foxes we find. That way it can never come back!"

Anko and Sakura, who came running at the sound of glass breaking, watched as Naruto's body began to tremble. His hands were clenched, and he was shaking. He lifted his head to glare at the boy in the lead, his eyes cold, hard and slitted, but still blue. "Run," he said, his voice rough.

The group of kids looked around at each other, as if confused by his words. Anko decided to pipe in. "I suggest you start running. Right now, he's counting, and once he reaches one hundred or so, anyone he can still see is gonna get it."

The biggest of the group, who looked like he was probably in his last year at the academy, smirked. "Yeah, right. He's a shinobi on duty, he can't touch us."

Sakura smiled, her facial expression sweet. "Yes, but animal cruelty laws state that anyone who willingly harms an animal for fun and with no gain, save for those animals hunted during predetermined hunting seasons, is subject to punishment including but not limited to fines up to twenty-thousand ryo, and six months in jail. Too many shinobi in this city use animals as companions for the punishment to be any less strict.

"Also, it should be noted, that anyone who is guilty of a Class One crime, such as premeditated animal cruelty, is ineligible to join the Shinobi forces." Sakura turned to Anko. "Didn't Hana-sensei say something about laws being stricter when it came to endangered species, like the red fox?" Anko simply nodded, eyes closed, arms crossed.

At that moment, Naruto unclenched his hands. "One hundred." The academy students all scrambled, running in different directions. The trio watched them as they scattered. Sighing sadly, Naruto walked toward the body lying on the ground. Gingerly, he picked up the fox, who raised it's head weakly. Naruto turned and made his way back into the clinic.

One of the older vets there, one of Hana's relatives, came over to see what was going on. Naruto turned his eyes up to look at the older man. "Can you help it?"

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat outside the operating room, quiet and still. Anko and Sakura sat on either side of him. "Naruto-kun, come on, tell me what's going through your head right now."

Naruto raised his head, and sighed again. "That fox, it's just like me. Hated for something that it had no control over. Hell, that poor creature probably wasn't even alive back then, and now, because of some idiots, it might die," he said dropping his head into his hands once again.

Anko wrapped her arms around the blonde, and was about to say something, when the door opened up, and the vet came out. Naruto jerked upright, searching the man's face. "Well, we were able to save the fox. Her kits were ok too, well, most of them. One was born weak, and probably won't make it, but the others were ok due to the first c-section I've ever done on an animal. We'll keep them here for a while so she can heal up, then we'll send her to a animal reserve. She should be fine there."

"It was a mother?" The older man nodded, and Naruto smiled."Thanks for saving her and her kits, Kamina-san. Can I go see her?" The older man looked at the blonde.

"Sure, I don't see why not. Just be careful. Just cause she let you carry her in, doesn't mean she's friendly. She _is _a wild animal." Naruto smiled.

"I'll be fine. I'll be out in a few minutes, girls."

-=0000000=-

Naruto stared down at the fox, amazed that she'd survived and been able to give birth with minimal complications._ 'Kyūbi, one of them is weak. If I used that one, would you be able to strengthen it?'_

Naruto waited for the fox to respond. Naruto discovered he could open a link with the fox when ever he needed to, though the fox didn't always want to talk to him.

_**'I am loathe to take the life of one so young. It would have been better if it had passed, or been stillborn. That still would have pained me, but at least I wouldn't have been erasing the kit from existence. At least it would have been in the afterlife first.'**_

Naruto smiled. _'I understand. I'll just keep looking' _Naruto smirked, a wicked thought crossing his mind. _'You know, I could always put you in Tora.'_

Kyūbi's voice echoed around the blonde's head. _**'I will kill you, if you ever think of putting me in there. I will willingly give myself to Shinigami-sama, and drag you with me,'**_ the great fox said, his voice deadly and sharp as a knife. Naruto started laughing, the fox's reaction to his idea just too much.

Naruto stopped laughing as a screen linked up to the weaker kit went crazy, lights flashing and sirens going off. "Kamina-san! Kamina-san, come quick! Something's wrong!"

Kamina came running into the recovery room, and started trying to save the kit. It was futile, though.

Naruto stared at the small body, then moved to pick it up. Kamina started to stop him, but Anko's hand on his arm stayed his hand. Kamina looked at her, but she answered his question before he asked it. "Him and the fox have a connection. You know who he is right?" Kamina nodded. "Well foxes have been stigmatized just as he has, for something they had no control over." Kamina watched the boy, and slowly nodded.

Naruto cradled the small body, and made to go outside. "Was this a boy or a girl?"

"It was a male. Are you planning on putting it to rest?"

Naruto nodded, as he walked out of the office. "I'll be back in a little bit."

-=0000000=-

Naruto sat in the abandoned building. There was a complex seal array drawn on the floor, one Naruto would never have had the ability to learn on his own without years of study. At the center was a pair of circles. In one sat Naruto, in the other, the body of the small fox. Naruto scanned the array once again, making sure he hadn't messed up. He was working off of an image the Kyūbi had implanted into his thoughts.

_'Everything look right, fuzzball?' _There was a growl of annoyance in the boy's head, but he was assured that it all was a perfect match. Naruto nodded, and steeled himself. He hoped he had enough chakra to do this. Slowly, he began moving through a series of hand seals that the Kyūbi told him to. Ending on the Ram seal, he dropped his hands to the array drawn around him, pushing the built up chakra into the ink. "**'Ninp****ō: Torikon Tens****ō**** no Jutsu'**!"

There was a brilliant flash of light, and a sudden shock wave as a burst of chakra washed out from Naruto's body. The seal array painted on the floor splint into two parts, one circling around the neck of the small fox body, the other half circling Naruto's wrist. Naruto fell back to the ground, feeling exhausted. Struggling, he sat up, and looked over to the fox. Slowly it moved, and stretched, then started shivering. _**'Why is it so cold?'**_

Naruto stared at the small fox. _'Well, you are kind of a baby right now,' _the blonde thought as he picked up the fox and put him into his coat pocket. The small fox promptly curled up, and started snoring. _**'I forgot at this age, foxes need sleep, warmth, and food. You'll have to care for me till I'm stronger,' **_the fox thought as he drifted off.

Naruto stood up and stretched, and suddenly felt the presence of at least a dozen shinobi surrounding him, all having appeared using shunshin. "Hey all, what's going on?"

The Sandaime looked at Naruto. "There was a massive surge of chakra from this location, and I mean massive. Every genjutsu in a half-mile radius was just blown away. Care to explain?"

Naruto grinned, and put his hand behind his head. On the inside he was panicking. _'Shit!' _"Umm, well you see, its like this," he started stalling for time. Then he had an idea. Something he remembered from the few classes they had on genjutsu from the academy popped into his mind. "You see, I was practicing how to release a genjutsu. I'm no good at using them, but I still wanted to be able to get rid of them. I remembered Iruka sensei telling us in class that a pulse of chakra could disrupt a genjutsu." He looked sheepish as he scanned the crowd. "I guess I kinda overdid it, huh? Chakra control has always been my worst skill. I thought I was using the smallest amount I could."

The Hokage looked at the boy, and shook his head. "Naruto, only you could practice releasing a genjutsu and embarrass every noblewoman in the city by overloading their vanity genjutsu." He started chuckling, and soon everyone was laughing.

-=0000000=-

The next day, Naruto revealed the small fox to his girlfriend and teammate. "This is Kyu-chan. That little fox that died? Well, somehow, it wasn't dead. He's fine. I decided to keep him. I'm gonna take him to the vet later today. He should probably get a check up."

Anko saw the little fox and smiled, but Sakura nearly glomped Naruto. He swore she had little hearts in her eyes when she looked at Kyu-chan. "Too cute! Can I hold him, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sure, but keep him warm, he's still a baby, you know."

_**'This feels so good. I think I might actually enjoy this,'**_ the fox thought to himself as he was cuddled by the pinkette.

-=0000000=-

Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, Inari and Ai sat outside of Ichiraku, all waiting for Ayame to bring them ramen. Over the month he'd been in town, Inari and Konohamaru had become good friends. Earlier that week, Naruto had introduced them to Ai, who was going to try and become a ninja like the rest of them.

Moegi and Ai became good friends quickly, Moegi glad to have someone who wasn't a boy to talk to. They all shared a common respect for Naruto and his teammates. In fact, after lunch, they were going over to the academy to meet them. Naruto said he would help them with their weapons, and Anko and Sakura said they'd help out, too.

The small group quickly finished their ramen, each one leaving a ticket for a free bowl on the counter. They had been gifts from Naruto, and they were put to good use. Like a bolt they were running down the road toward the academy. They rounded a corner, and Konohamaru fell flat on his rear, a large cloud of dust kicked up from the impact.

"Hey! Who the hell are-!" the boy started. He froze mid-sentence when he saw the hitai-ate on the person's forehead. _'Suna nin?'_

"You little brat! That hurt!" the strange shinobi said. He was dressed from head to toe in all black, save for his face. His face was painted with purple lines that made him look like some kind of theater performer. A large cloth wrapped bundle was slung over one shoulder. Reaching down, he grabbed the boy by his collar and pulled him off the ground. "Aren't ya gonna say sorry, you little snot? Or do I have to get my hands dirty beating an apology out of you?"

Beside the strange painted ninja, a blonde girl with a large object strapped across her back spoke up. "Kankuro! Stop being a moron and let the kid go. It wasn't anyone's fault, it was an accident. Besides, we don't want _him _ to be in a bad mood, do we? What if he shows up while you're fucking around?"

"This won't take long. I'll use Crow, that'll get the boy to apologize quick," he said, and he pulled the bundle off of his shoulder.

"It's not very smart to attack the grandson of the Hokage, especially in a village of shinobi whose loyalty lies with said grandfather," a voice said from behind them. Kankuro turned to see a three leaf nin standing behind him. Naruto stared right back, his gaze steel.

"Now, I suggest you pack off. Wouldn't want to get disqualified from the exams for fighting, would you?"

Kankuro growled. "Who the hell are you shorty? This kid owes me an apology, and I aim to get it."

Kankuro began to unwrap the large bundle, when an icy voice called out to him. "Shut up, Kankuro, or I'll feed you to mother."

Kankuro froze, and slowly turned to face the voice. In a tree off to the side of the road, there stood a short red-head. He wore a black jumpsuit, and had what appeared to be a jumbo-sized sake gourd strapped to his back. "G-Gaara. When did you get here?"

The red-head, now identified as Gaara, vanished in a swirl of sand, and appeared much the same way between the other two foreigners. "I've been watching this whole time. You're a disgrace. If we didn't need you for the exams, I'd feed you to mother right now."

The blonde girl stepped in. "Now, now, Gaara, don't be hasty," she said, waving her hands as if to ward off some evil. Gaara turned to her.

"Shut up, Temari, or I'll feed you to her as well."

Naruto stared at the trio. Why were they afraid of the smaller boy like that?

_**'His chakra... it's distorted, it's got a second chakra mixed in... this boy is the Ichibi's container. Claim dominance, boy! Let him know who's territory he is in. Let the jinchūriki of Shukaku know that this city belongs to the Kyūbi no Kitsune.'**_

Naruto smiled as his small fox spoke into his mind. Right now he was curled up and sitting in Naruto's pocket, head sticking out.

"Gaara, was it? Listen up, cause I ain't telling you twice. You're in my territory now. Try anything stupid, mess with my friends, and there's gonna be hell to pay," Naruto said, as he stalked closer. He was standing toe to toe with Gaara, and leaned in close. "Do you understand, jinchūriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku? This city belongs to me."

Gaara stared at the blond, before suddenly screaming and clutching his forehead. "Gwahhh! Ughhhhh! Mother!" Naruto jumped back as a swirl of sand left the gourd, and lashed out at the blonde. Naruto dodged, and managed to get back into Gaara's face.

"Gaara. I already told you I won't say it twice. Back down, now!" Gaara glanced up, only to see the boy's eyes glowing red, the pupils slitted.

"Wh-who are you?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, future Hokage," the blonde said proudly, before leaning in close. _"I'm also the master of the Kyūbi no Kitsune. Don't forget that,"_ he whispered in the red-head's ear. Gaara looked stunned as Naruto took a few steps back.

Naruto turned to rejoin the group of children that had scrambled past the Suna trio to stand with Anko and Sakura, who looked amused.

"Uzumaki, I will kill you. I will crush you, and mother will feast on your blood. You, you will help me prove my existence!Your death will be the ultimate proof of my existence!" Gaara called, still clutching his head, but Naruto and the others were already gone.

-=0000000=-

Three days after the encounter with the other jinchūriki, Naruto, Anko, and Sakura sat at a restaurant with Hana. Having been cleared for duty, she was released, and back with her team. Naruto turned to his sensei. "Hey, Hana-sensei. Why is it that the Shunshin is a jutsu you need to be a Chūnin to learn, even though most shinobi stores that sell the instructional scroll mark it as a d-rank technique?"

Hana swallowed the bit of meatball she was chewing and turned to her student. "Well, you don't need to be a Chūnin, it just takes an amazing amount of control to get it to work properly. Most people don't develop that kind of control till they've reached Chūnin level."

"So, I could still learn it even though I wasn't a Chūnin, or in an apprenticeship?"

Hana nodded, chewing food once again. "Well, I don't see why not. Besides that, technically, you are in an apprenticeship. An apprentice is someone who studies under a master, in order to someday become a master in their own right. I'm that master, you three are apprentices."

"Then why was the teme put into an apprenticeship with Kakashi-sensei?"

"Because that's how the council differentiates between those Genin on a squad and those who are in a one on one learning situation."

The rest of the meal was spent talking about the various things that had happened over the last few days. No one mentioned the run in with the strange Genin from Suna.

-=0000000=-

That night, Naruto lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the future. He jumped when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in"

Anko slipped the door open and moved to Naruto's bed. Without a word, she crawled into it and lay beside him, her body pressed up into his, matching curve for curve. Soon, both were asleep, their breathing easy in the dark of the night.

**Glossary**

**Ninp****ō: Torikon Tens****ō**** no Jutsu: **literal translation : captive soul exchange technique, English: Tethered Soul Transfer Jutsu: The user sends a soul that is bound to them into a separate body, hence the tethered portion of the name.**  
**


	16. Chapter 16 The Chunin Exam Begins!

**Author's Notes**: Really didn't want to get too much into stage one of the exams, since it's basically the same as canon. So I got it down to one chapter. You ever read a story that has each stage of the exam taking up like four chapters, it's kinda annoying when the test is a test... no need for four chapters of Naruto agonizing over whether or not to cheat. I finally decided on a good replacement for Anko as the proctor of stage two, so that was nice. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 16**

Anko grinned as she made her way up the steps to the academy. The first stage of the exam was being held today, and she was confident that the members of Team Seven would do fine. Checking her papers, she re-read the directions. _'Room three-oh-one. Third floor it is, then.'_

The trio made their way into the main hallway, and up a flight of stairs. At the top, they encountered a group of people gathered around a door, which was marked three-oh-one. Standing in front of it were two Genin who seemed to be barring the way. A strange looking Genin in a green jumpsuit was sprawled out on the floor, his lip bleeding.

Being careful to go unnoticed, the blonde and his teammates moved closer. A girl with her hair pulled into buns was pleading with one of the bullies to let her team in. The boy, bandages on each cheek and his chin, laughed at her as he swung a fist into her face. There was a sickening thud as flesh met flesh, and the girl was thrown back.

"Listen up, you losers! The Chūnin exam is brutal, and a lot of you probably won't make it through the second stage. We're doing you a favor, making sure you don't die needlessly. I mean, if you can't even beat us here, how are you gonna fare against the tougher opponents you'll meet in this test?"

The other bully grinned. "Aww, you were being too nice. Most of these fools will probably wash out halfway through the first stage. I mean, look at that weirdo in the green jumpsuit. He couldn't take a punch half as well as panda-chan could!" he said, pointing first to the Genin with the bleeding lip, then to the girl with buns in her hair.

Anko turned to Sakura. "Something's not right here. I could swear we're only on the second floor, aren't we?"

Sakura nodded. "I think it's a genjutsu. Those two... there's something off. They look awfully familiar. That, and, where's their teammate? Hana-sensei said the exam is a team effort."

The conversation ground to a halt as a familiar voice rose above the others. Naruto, Anko, and Sakura turned when they heard Kiba walk up to the door, yelling.

"Hey, drop the genjutsu, assholes! This is obviously the second floor. Our little Hinata-chan's eyes saw right through it the moment we walked in, right?" Kiba asked, turning to a pale eyed girl next to him.

The girl in question, Hinata Hyūga, stuttered and paused a lot as she spoke. "Um... well, ah... It is a ge-genjutsu, and th-those two... umm... th-th-they a-a-re also under he-he-henge."

The remaining member of their squad, a quiet boy by the name of Shino Aburame, turned to stare at Kiba. "Kiba, it would have been wiser and much more prudent to keep information such as that to ourselves. It is quite obvious this ruse was set up for the specific purpose of removing those Chūnin candidates that are not qualified to participate in the upcoming trials.

"By sharing that information and exposing their ruse, it has simply made the entire process more difficult for those of us who will be participating. As the number of participants rises, the probability of our reaching the rank of Chūnin drops significantly."

Kiba stared at the bespectacled Genin. "So... I shoulda kept quiet?" Shino nodded, and Kiba simply shrugged. "Well, no sense crying over spilled kibble."

The rest of the Genin stared at the duo standing at the doors, who simply sighed and released the genjutsu, revealing the door to be number two-oh-one. The bandaged boy smirked. "Not bad, but detecting it isn't nearly enough!" he cried as he spun into a kick, his foot flying toward Kiba's head. Kiba reacted as well, his hand flying forward to knock the kick away.

There was a sudden moment of silence as everyone tried to process what happened after that. One moment, the two were in mid-strike, the next, the bandaged boy was in midair, his leg fixed in the green-clad Genin's strong grip. Kiba's hand had been bent backwards and twisted, so he was lying on the ground, though not in pain.

Anko's first thoughts were much the same as everyone else's. _'Wow! He's fast. I didn't even register a blur.'_

Sakura was thinking the same thing when her field of vision was suddenly filled with green. Looking up, she found herself staring into the face of the Genin with the incredible speed. "You, you are Sakura Haruno, correct?"

Sakura smiled, being polite. "Yes, I'm Sakura Haruno. You are?"

The boy smiled, his hand held toward her with his thumb up. "I am Konoha's beautiful blue beast, Rock Lee! Go out with me, Sakura, and I shall protect you with my very life."

Sakura took a small step back, and started to tell him no, but something stopped her. She examined him again. His hair was cut in a bowl shape, but could have been longer once, and his eyebrows were very bushy and in need of plucking. She decided that with some work, and better fashion sense, he might actually be handsome, but right now, there were more pressing matters.

"Lee, listen. Now's not the time to be worrying about things like dating or picking up girls. We're here to take the Chūnin exam, and that's what we'll do. After it's all said and done, maybe then you can ask me again. Ok?"

Lee looked at her, and smiled. "Very well, Sakura-chan. Upon the conclusion of the Exams, I will ask you out then."

Naruto and Anko stood off to the side, watching the proceedings with a hint of amusement. The old Sakura would have yelled at him, saying something about him being weird. Giggling the two grabbed their pink-haired friend and walked toward the stairs leading up.

-=0000000=-

Naruto grinned as he walked into the room. It was packed full, more than one hundred Chūnin hopefuls sitting or standing around with other members from their respective villages. Near the door was a group of Genin that Naruto and the others recognized well. Waving, the trio made their way over to where Teams Eight and Ten were standing. Shikamaru was the first to speak up.

"You three made it too, huh? That means all the rookies made it. This exam, it looks like it's gonna turn out to be a big pain in my ass. I almost didn't come, but Ino threatened to ask Asuma-sensei for extra training," he said, shaking his head. "Man, what a drag."

Ino ignored her teammate, and ran to Sakura's side. The platinum blonde started to say something, but stopped and squealed when she saw the small fox curled up on her friend's shoulder.

"Sakura, where'd you find this little guy? He's adorable!" Ino cried as she picked the fox up carefully. The kit opened his eyes and looked around before curling back up into a ball.

"He belongs to Naruto, but likes to ride with me," she said as she carefully put the small fox back on her shoulder.

After a few minutes of talking, the group of rookies started to feel uncomfortable, as if a huge amount of pressure was bearing down on them. Glancing around, Naruto noticed that almost every face in the room was turned towards them, most scowling. The rookies continued to talk amongst themselves, but as more time passed, the sense of being under pressure began to grow and grow. Naruto recognized the feeling from the fight with Zabuza. Grinning, he turned to the crowd, and called out to Kyūbi.

_'I need some chakra, just a bit to get my eyes to change to red.' _Naruto heard a mental grunt as the chakra spilled into his system. Pointing to the crowd, he glared, red-eyed. "You weaklings call that killer intent? Try this!"

Naruto tapped into every memory he could of anger and pain and aggression, just like he learned from that book. He pushed it outward from him, directing it towards the crowd. It took a moment, but many of the shinobi who had been glaring at his friends turned their eyes away, unable to meet the jinchuriki's gaze any longer. Only a few were able to stare him down, Gaara among them.

A silver-haired young man with glasses made his way over to them, chuckling. "You guys, you really know how to make enemies. You're this year's rookies, fresh from the Academy, right? Well, a bit of advice, keep your voices, and your heads down, and you might survive for a little while longer."

Sakura walked over to the newcomer. "Who are you? I don't recognize you."

"My apologies. My name is Kabuto Yakushi. You probably wouldn't recognize me, I'm from a class that graduated a few years back."

Anko smiled. "So, you must be here for the second time then? You talk like you've got experience dealing with this kind of thing."

Kabuto grinned. "Well, actually, this is my seventh time taking this test. I usually do pretty well in the first stage, but I'm just not combat oriented. I'm a medic, so the second stage usually forces me out. Sometimes, I make it to the third stage, but I never do well enough to earn that promotion, you know?"

The group of rookies were aghast. They all began wondering how hard this test actually was. "You say you've never passed, huh? Well, me and Akamaru, we've got nothing to worry about. We're all about combat!"

Kabuto smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure. I have the stats on this year's test right here. There's a lot of competition this time," he said as he pulled a small stack of cards out of a pouch. He pulled one out and laid it down on the ground. "These are one of my specialties. My Ninja Info cards. I've got seven exams worth of data here, that's four years worth." He began pushing chakra into the card on the ground.

With a small puff of smoke, the blank card became a map, with the various hidden villages marked, along with the number of participants from each village. "Six villages allied with us, or at least on friendly terms, sent candidates to take their test here this cycle. Suna, Ame, Tachi, Kusa, Kiri, and a new village, Oto, which is still pretty small. No one knows much about them yet. Anyways, as you can see, that's one hundred and fifty-three participants, divided into fifty-one teams of three."

Sakura looked over at the cards. "Do those cards of yours have information on individual ninja?"

The Genin nodded. "Oh yeah, just tell me what you know about them and I'll try to dig them out. The more unique the characteristics you describe, the faster the search."

"Rock Lee, of Konoha." Naruto and Anko gave her a look, causing her to blush. "What, he asked me out, I want to see what kind of ninja he is first. Call it idle curiosity."

Anko smirked. "You know, they say curiosity killed the cat."

"Look up Gaara, from Suna for me, and why not let me see my card as well, just for kicks," Naruto said, shrugging.

Kabuto sighed. "Man, you know their names. That takes out all the fun of it." He quickly pulled out three cards. "First, Rock Lee. Teammates are Tenten Higurashi and Neji Hyūga. Sensei's name is Might Guy. Currently has eighty-four D-ranks and twenty-six C-ranks under his belt. Ninja skills are really varied. Taijutsu is through the roof, but his ninjutsu and genjutsu skills are nearly non-existent."

Back in the crowd, Rock Lee was smiling ear to ear. "Ahh, Sakura-chan wishes to know more about me! I'm so happy!" he cried as a waterfall of tears streamed down his face.

Kabuto slid the card back into his pack and moved to the next one. "Gaara of the Desert. Teammates with his siblings, Temari and Kankuro. They are the children of the current Kazekage. Sensei is currently unknown. Mission history includes an unknown number of D-ranks, eight C-ranks, and one B-rank. On a side note, all missions were completed successfully, and Gaara has come back unharmed from every single one."

The Genin were shocked. "He completed a B-ranked mission as a Genin and came back uninjured? What a drag. Knowing my luck, I'll have to fight that guy," Shikamaru complained.

Kabuto smiled. "If you do, you could always run and hide. On to the last card. Naruto Uzumaki, of Konoha. Teammates with Sakura Haruno and... Anko Mitarashi?" Kabuto wasn't sure he read that right. _'She's supposed to be dead, and a Tokujō. I'll have to look into this.' _Composing himself, he continued.

"Sensei is one Hana Inuzuka. Ninja skills are quite balanced, with high marks in ninjutsu. Weakness is genjutsu, with sub-par marks there. Mission history includes forty-nine D-ranks, one C-rank, one B-rank, and one A-rank. On a side note, Naruto's team was crucial in the defeat and deaths of two powerful nuke-nin. Another side note, Naruto and Anko have one unclassified mission to their name." Kabuto looked up. "What's this about an unclassified mission? I've never heard of that before."

The other Genin crowded around. "What I wanna know is, how'd you get a B-rank, let alone an A-rank?" Kiba asked. Before Naruto could answer either of the questions, there was a commotion as three Genin wearing mottled gray camouflage rushed Kabuto.

The closest one jumped into the air, and threw a pair of kunai at the bespectacled young man. Kabuto leapt backwards, but his dodge had been anticipated. Waiting for him was a Sound Genin with the majority of his face bandaged up. He charged forward, and swung his fist, the strike coming so fast it appeared to be a blur. Kabuto managed to lean back out of the way, barely avoiding the blow.

The Konoha Genin were impressed with Kabuto's speed, and started to compliment him, when his glasses suddenly shattered. "So, it's like that, huh? Wonder what the trick was?" He tried to move away, but suddenly fell to his knees, and vomited.

The Sound Genin that had thrown the kunai sauntered forward. "Add this to your cards, loser. The Genin from Otogakure, they will most definitely become Chūnin."

The rookies, and many of the veteran Konoha Genin were ready to rush the Sound trio, when a huge burst of smoke at the front of the room caught their attention.

"Sit the fuck down, and shut the hell up!" a tall man in a black trench coat yelled. Around him were several Konoha shinobi in the same uniform, a light gray shirt and pants. "You maggots in the back! If there's anymore fighting without my permission, I'll personally drag you the fuck out of here, and ban you for life!"

The assembled Genin quieted up, and paid attention as the man introduced himself. "My name is Ibiki Morino. I am the proctor for the first stage of the Chūnin exams. I want you to form up into an orderly line, and come to the front of the room. There you will turn in your registration forms, and will receive a number, and a paper test." Naruto felt like crying.

_'Why'd it have to be a paper test?'_

-=0000000=-

Twenty minutes later, the entire room was seated. Naruto was sitting at number fifty-three. Anko and Sakura had gotten separated from him and were sitting on opposite sides of the room. "This sucks. I wish I was sitting with someone I knew."

"Hi, Na-naruto-kun. Um... h-how are y-you?"

Naruto glanced over, and was shocked to see Hinata sitting by him. "Oh, hey Hinata! Sorry, I didn't notice you there. Guess I'm kinda nervous. I never was good at these things."

Hinata was about to respond, when Ibiki began tapping his chalk against the blackboard. "Listen up maggots! These are the rules of the exam. I will not take any questions, so you better understand them the first time."

Various voice could be heard murmuring around the room. No questions? What was up with that?

"Rule number one. Everyone starts the test with a perfect score. For each question you answer incorrectly, or fail to answer at all, you will lose a point. There are ten questions in all, for a total of ten possible points.

"Rule number two. Anyone caught cheating will lose two points off their total score. Anyone caught cheating five times will automatically fail the test. The proctors you see around the room are charged with watching each and every one of you. Their eyes are the sharpest in the village, and they will be watching you very closely.

"Rule number three. Tests are scored on a team by team basis. Meaning the scores of each team members tests are totaled together for the final grade."

Throughout the explanation of the rules, Sakura had been sweating. Naruto had never been good at paper tests, and she was worried he would fail. Now there was an out. As long as she and Anko did well, they would still have a passing chance.

"Before I forget, if one member of a team happens to fail the test with a score of zero, the entire team fails, and will have to leave. That means if you get caught cheating five times, you not only cost yourself the exam, you cost your teammates the exam as well." Sakura's head hit the desk.

"Those of you in this room are Shinobi, and should act like it. Think carefully before you cheat, since it is not only your hide on the line.

"Finally, rule number four. The tenth problem will be given at the forty-five minute mark, giving you fifteen minutes to answer it before the end of the exam. Believe me, you'll need it."

-=0000000=-

Naruto sighed, and stared at the paper in front of him. _'Gah! I don't get this crap! How am I supposed to figure out the possible flight paths for a shuriken based on numbers alone? I just throw 'em harder to make 'em go farther. If I need to curve it, I flick my wrist. What else is there to it?'_

Naruto sighed. He wasn't the type to cheat, but he was desperate, and couldn't afford to fail. He scanned the area, trying to decide who might know the answers. He was about to do something stupid, like snatch the paper from the guy next to him, when an idea occurred to him. _'Hey, Kyūbi? Can you hear me? I need you to find me the answers.'_

_**'Why would I do that?'**_

_'Cause if you do, I'll let you 'escape' on the next vet visit.'_

The Kyūbi shuddered, and agreed. He hated the vet more than anything. He called it demeaning.

-=0000000=-

Sakura read through each question and answered the ones she knew right away. Then she went back over the test again. There were a few she would have had trouble with, were she anyone else. Taking her time, and making sure to answer each question as thoroughly as possible, she filled out the rest of the paper.

Kyu-chan was sitting on the desk watching as she filled out her answers. Sakura smiled, when a random thought crossed her mind. _'How is Naruto going to get through this? He's smarter than he used to be, but this stuff is harder than anything a Genin should know.'_

Sakura sighed, and watched as Kyu-chan continued to stare at the page. After a moment, Sakura noticed something odd. The kit's eyes were moving across each of her lines, as though he were reading.

"What are you doing, little guy?" The kit turned to look at the pinkette, then yipped happily as she put him back on her shoulder.

_**'Hey, I've got the answers. Now swear that I get to escape the next vet visit. That doctor's hands are so cold.'**_

Sakura heard Naruto laughing a few rows ahead of her, and wondered what he was thinking, when Kyu-chan snuggled into her neck and fell asleep.

-=0000000=-

When the time came for the final question to be given, twenty-five teams had been eliminated. Ibiki soon called for attention. "Listen up. It's time for the final question. Before I give it to you though, there is a new rule that applies only to this question. It is a rule that many of you will consider hopeless." He glanced around the room as that bit of info sank in.

"First you must choose whether or not you will take the final question. Those of you who do not wish to take it may choose not to."

The blonde girl from Suna spoke up. "Yeah, but what's the catch?"

"Those who chose not to take the final question will receive an automatic zero on their test, meaning that their teammates will also fail."

Kiba spoke up then, his face indignant. "That's retarded! Who'd willingly give up, if it means that his entire team fails?"

Ibiki glared at the boy, a pinprick of killer intent flung his way. "You didn't let me finish. Those who choose to take the final question but get it wrong, well, you will also fail, but, in addition, you will be barred from taking the Chūnin selection exams ever again."

The room was deathly silent. No one moved. After an eternity, it seemed, someone spoke up. "Hey, that silver-haired guy from earlier said this is his seventh time or something, so you must be full of it!"

Ibiki started laughing. "Yes, this may be Kabuto-kun's seventh time, but he's never had me as proctor. This is my first time running this test in eight years. You all were just unlucky."

Several thoughts ran through Naruto's head. At the same time, several candidates gave up, opting out of the tenth question.

Naruto looked around at the grief on those quitters' teammates' faces. _'If I give up now, I'll be letting down Sakura-chan and Anko-hime. But if I get it wrong, I'll never be able to take the Chūnin exams again. What do I do?'_

-=0000000=-

Across town, Kurenai, Asuma, Hana, and Guy sat around the table where they had met for lunch. Asuma was smoking a cigarette as usual, and Kurenai and Guy were glaring at him for it. Deciding to break the tension, Hana started chatting. "My, it sure is quiet without our Genin around, don't you think?"

Asuma grinned. "Yeah, but it won't last long. They got Ibiki to run the first stage this year."

Guy glowered, his eyes on the ground. "Though he is quite good at what he does, his method of attacking the mind of his foe is most un-youthful. I cannot believe they let that sadist teach our youngsters!"

Kurenai looked at Guy. "Sadist? What do you mean?"

Asuma smiled. "You and Hana are still rookie Jōnin, so it makes sense you might not recognize his name. The proctor for the first stage of the exams is Ibiki Morino, the head of ANBU Torture and Interrogation. He is a master of torture, but he never physically touches his victims. He simply knows the human mind better than anyone else in the village, save for the Yamanaka clan. He can get into your head, find your fears, and drag them to the surface. It's enough to drive you mad."

The two women sat there, thinking about their poor Genin.

-=0000000=-

Anko stared at the back of her boyfriends head._ 'Come on, Naruto. Raise your hand. I won't be mad, and neither will Sakura. We know how important it is for you to reach Hokage, so give up. It's fine.'_

As if he heard her thoughts, Naruto's hand began to slowly rise. He held it up in the air for a moment, before he slammed it down on the table, the wood under his hand cracking under the sudden force.

"Listen, Ibiki! I don't care if I never get to take the Exams again! There are other ways to become a Chūnin. I'll just kick so much ass on a mission, they'll give me a field promotion right then and there. The way I see it, this is a mission, and I've never said no to a mission. Not when I faced Zabuza in Wave, not when I faced that monster wolf Duzell up by the border and not when my sensei was hurt and we had to finish our mission without her. So I won't give up now! That's my ninja way. Never give in, never give up,and never quit!"

Ibiki stared at the boy, who seemed to have inadvertently understood the meaning behind the tenth question. He scanned the room, and it seemed that no one else was willing to give up then either. _'Anko's little boyfriend sure has balls. His little speech seems to have instilled some backbone in the rest of them. Well, I guess it's time to call it.'_

"Those of you still here, I have one thing to say. Congratulations, you have all passed the first stage of the exam. This test had two distinct purposes. The first nine questions were to test your information gathering skills. That's the reason for a two-point deduction for getting caught cheating, instead of instantly failing. For that to have been successful, there were three Chūnin planted as Genin. They had all the answers." Three of the remaining candidates stood up and walked to the front of the room. Ibiki continued.

"In order to make you take care when you finally realized you had to cheat, I implemented the rule about team scoring, creating a high pressure situation where you were forced to be careful so you weren't a nuisance to your allies. On top of that, the proctors seated around the room were there for one other reason, besides monitoring you. They were steadily increasing the amount of negative energy in the air, what our blonde friend up here called killer intent earlier. This only helped to increase the feelings of helplessness and desperation."

Ibiki reached up and removed his headband. Naruto, Sakura and Anko remained unfazed by the sight, having heard the story several times while they were partying with Ibiki and Kurenai. The rest of the room gasped. The man's head was a mass of scars, burns, and puncture wounds. Two Genin near the back of the room actually vomited. Ibiki ignored the sounds of retching and spoke to the Genin once again.

"Information is a powerful tool. What you see on my head, on my face, that is the result of bad information. This test was to determine whether or not you could find and acquire the correct information, either direct from the source, or from an ally who had, all without being caught."

Ibiki replaced his headband. "As for the tenth question, it was simple. To take it or not. Try this, for example. You are a Chūnin of your respective village. You've been assigned a mission to intercept and retrieve a secret document. The number of enemy shinobi, their individual abilities, and possible armaments are unknown. On top of that, there is a good possibility that the building where the document is being housed is highly trapped.

"Do you take the mission or not? Just cause your life and the lives of your friends are threatened, can you avoid taking a mission that is dangerous? The answer is no. There will be missions with heavy risks that simply cannot be avoided. Being able to inspire courage in your teammates, and handling pressure under fire are some of the qualities we look for in a Chūnin."

As Ibiki finished his speech, there was a burst of smoke, and a pair of ANBU stood at the front of the room. "Good afternoon, Ibiki-san. We're not late, are we?"

Ibiki shook his head. "No, you're a bit early, but not by much."

"My bad, Ibiki-san. So, we've got eighteen teams left, huh? That's fifty four possible casualties in the next stage. Hope they do better than the last group I proctored."

Ibiki grinned. "Why's that?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Thirty-two teams went in, big group that year. Nine students came out."

The room was deathly silent once again. One brave soul near the back called out to the masked pair. "Hey, who're you?"

The ANBU turned to face the group of students. "My name is none of your concern. You may simply refer to me as Inu. My companion is Neko. We are the proctors for the second stage of the Chūnin exams. Tomorrow morning, you are to meet us at the twenty-first ANBU training grounds. Your sensei have been given instructions on how to reach there. Until then, you are free to do as you will. Dismissed!"

The students all moved towards the door, their high hopes for the test rapidly declining. Unless that man had been bluffing, the next stage of the test had a failure rate over ninety percent.

As they left the room, Anko whispered to Naruto. "You know, I think it would have been cooler if there had been a banner, and if they had come through a window, or something."

Naruto laughed, and dragged his teammates off to get ramen.

-=0000000=-

Kabuto slipped into the ally, his eyes darting around. There, in the shadows, stood the Jōnin sensei for the sound team, who was actually Orochimaru in disguise. Kneeling, Kabuto grinned wickedly. "Orochimaru-sama, I have some interesting news. Apparently, there is a Genin taking the exams this year by the name of Anko Mitarashi." Orochimaru cocked an eyebrow, intrigued by that bit of information. Kabuto waited for the go ahead to continue, and did so when it came.

"I did some digging, and it turns out that Jiraiya came up with a counter measure for the prototype version of the Curse Seal of Heaven, and broke it. One of the side effects though, Anko's body and memories reverted back to the age she was when she first received the mark. In all essences, she is a twelve year old girl again."

"Damn!" the pale man cursed. That lecherous old hermit was always showing him up, and it irritated him to no end. Composing himself, the Sannin sighed. "Well, it's no matter. My new choice will be more powerful than she ever was. Contact Dosu, tell him to eliminate her and her team during the second stage."

Kabuto nodded, and left the alley, while Orochimaru simply vanished.


	17. Chapter 17 The Second Stage

**Author's Notes**: Been working, and trying out other things. Started branching out, working on a few Harry Potter fics, but gonna keep trucking with this one.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Naruto.

**Broken Seals, Second Chances**

**By Alistor**

**Chapter 17 The Second Stage**

Naruto could only stare in awe at the expansive ruin spread out before them. The twenty-first ANBU Training Grounds was a jumbled mass of destroyed buildings, cracked pavement, and generalized destruction. To top it all off, much of the ruins were becoming overgrown, the forest reclaiming the land.

Inu and Neko stood at the front of the group, their masks hiding their faces as always. Inu stepped forward. "Those of you here are being given a chance. A chance to prove that you have what it takes to be a leader, to be given more responsibility in your respective Village's Shinobi ranks."

Neko stepped forward then. "This is the twenty-first ANBU Training Ground, which is also known as, simply, The Ruins. Years ago, during the last great war, a good portion of Konoha was destroyed. What you see before you, these ruins, are a part of that destruction. We ANBU use them as a way to train for those occasions when we must fight in countries and areas that are war-torn, like Rain country, where ruins like these are prevalent."

Inu took over again. "These are what you are searching for," he said, motioning behind him, where three bound hostages where sitting, leaning against each other."There are nine groups of hostages somewhere out there. They are being guarded by shinobi with orders to kill anyone who gets too close. You will need to rescue the hostages, and get them to the Command Center, which is located at the far side of the training ground."

Neko finished the speech."You will have three days to complete your mission. Any team at the end of three days without a group of hostages safely rescued will be removed from the next phase of the exam. That means at least half of you will be removed without question. Now, while out there, you will be effectively cut off from us. There is no leaving the test early, or quitting halfway through."

Someone wearing a Kiri hitai-ate raised their hand. "What happens if all the hostages are rescued, but not secured? Are we allowed to fight other teams for the right to take them in?" a feminine voice asked. Inu simply nodded, but Neko elaborated.

"Yes you may. This exam is meant to simulate a real-life mission, so lethal force is authorized." There were murmurs in the crowd. Lethal force was authorized? "Yes, you all heard me correctly. You are allowed to kill your opponents. This is by far the deadliest portion of any Chūnin exam. As Inu said when we met you yesterday, we once proctored an exam where ninety-six participants went into this stage, and less than a dozen came out to advance. Of the eighty-seven that didn't advance, sixty-five were dead. That should tell you how serious this whole thing is."

One candidate wearing a Ame hitai-ate sneered. "Figures. All those shinobi out there are Leaf nin, right? So that means the Leaf nin in this exam are gonna get off easy."

Inu began laughing. Neko, who realized he would be laughing for a few moments, sighed. "That's where you are wrong. The shinobi guarding the hostages are all inmates from the prisons in Konoha, Suna, and Kiri. Each one holds no loyalty to the villages, and would gladly kill any of you on sight. The hostages are also inmates, and under a sedation seal that will last exactly three days and sixteen hours, so as not to put any innocent life at risk. Well, except your own."

Inu turned to Neko, his laughter subsided. "But, most of our candidates have killed in the line of duty. Can we really say they are innocent?" Neko simply shrugged.

Sakura raised her hand next. "What's preventing those inmates from just running?"

"A specialized seal. If any of the inmates move beyond a certain point, the seal activates, sending a massive electrical charge to their brains. It fries their gray matter right inside their skulls, though sometimes, it does make their heads pop," Inu said, and though his mask covered his face, everyone knew he was undoubtedly laughing. Sakura looked queasy, and Anko put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

The teams all moved to various points along the perimeter of the training grounds. Each was provided with a map showing the location of the Command Center. When Naruto's team saw the map, their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. The training ground was huge, nearly 15 square kilometers of overgrown ruins.

-=0000000=-

Shikamaru sighed. He really didn't want to be there. Chōji was complaining, too. "Three days, without food? What am I gonna do? That's gonna take forever, and I'll probably die of starvation."

Ino growled at the portly shinobi. "We could get slaughtered out there, die, for real, and you're worried about food? Use that survival training from the academy, jeez. There's fifteen square miles of ruins out there. There's gotta be a few mushrooms, some edible plants. We'll be fine, Chōji."

-=0000000=-

Kiba glanced at his teammates. "Ok, listen up, cause I gotta plan! While we wait for the signal, Shino, you tag someone from each team with your bugs. That way we can keep tabs on their locations. Once we start, Hinata, you use your Byakugan to try and find the nearest group of hostages. We'll move there, take out the guards, and make our way to the Command Center. Easy as pie.

"Um, we-well, so-some... um, pies a-a-are very h-ha-hard t-t-t-to make... well, um, pro-properly," Hinata stammered, blushing that she'd spoken up like that. Shino put his hand on her shoulder and nodded his head.

"Hinata-san is correct. This is a live-fire mission simulation. We will need to be constantly vigilant, not only for other teams, but also for the possibility of those guards going rogue and just roaming around killing others."

Kiba crossed his arms and stood there thinking. "Well, I hadn't thought of that."

-=0000000=-

Naruto grinned."This is gonna be fun. I'll bet we'll be done in no time," he said, as he went through his inventory. He had ramen, an extra shirt and some shorts, just in case, and two spare equipment pouches. At the bottom of his bag was a small pouch of food for the small fox riding in his pocket.

Anko and Sakura were doing the same thing, going through their equipment. Both had their rations, which Naruto refused to carry, calling them tasteless garbage not fit for prisoners, and spare clothing. Anko also carried a spare equipment pouch, while Sakura carried a first aid kit with her.

"Ready, girls? Then lets do this!" the blonde yelled as the signal to begin went off.

A few feet into the ruins, the team felt themselves pass through a barrier, the ward line leaving a tangible sensation on their skin. "Wow... what was that? Couldn't see a thing, but I could sure as hell feel that," Naruto muttered, glancing around as he did so.

Sakura nodded. "This training ground doesn't have a way to keep anyone in, like a fence. That barrier must be their first security line. I can imagine that anything passing through it without some sort of identifier would get stuck inside until the duration of the barrier expires, or until it's dropped."

Anko nodded. "Iruka mentioned that there was a branch of fūinjutsu that dealt with barrier arts. Makes sense that there's someone with that skill set in ANBU, though this particular barrier is probably linked to those seals Neko-san mentioned."

The area they were standing in was once, it appeared, a paved road. There were overturned carts and food-stands that had long ago started rotting, and huge hunks of building, laying everywhere. There was some undergrowth, and the broken shells of the buildings gave way to forest the farther west they moved, towards the command center that served as their goal.

"Ok, first order of business, marching order. I'll take rearguard. I can drop a clone every twenty yards or so. If anyone tries to sneak up on us from the back, my clones can pop, and I'll know right away."

Anko nodded. "Right. Sakura and I, we'll take a dual point formation. I'll cover one side, and Sakura, you cover the other. Our fields of cover should overlap at the middle. We need to focus on finding the closest group of hostages, and getting them to the command center as soon as possible." Naruto and Sakura nodded, and the trio quickly moved deeper into the Ruins of old Konoha.

-=0000000=-

Sakura saw it first. They'd been traveling for several hours, hunting for a group of hostages, when they came upon a clearing. There were signs of a fight, and though there was no blood, there were several crushed corpses wearing Amegakure hitai-ate lying around. Several of them had traces of sand on them. "What happened here? This, this is just brutal."

Naruto knelt down, his hands running through the sand. "I think I know. Remember that red-headed kid, the one from Suna? I think he might have done this."

The two girls shivered. Naruto got back to his feet, and the trio moved on. They were just getting into the trees, when a tendril of sand wrapped around Naruto's leg, dragging him back into the clearing. Anko and Sakura looked back at Naruto's sudden shout, only to find him dangling ten feet in the air by his ankle, while the red-head in question shouted at him, madness in his eyes.

"Uzumaki! I told you I would find you, and now I have. Mother was disappointed in me. All I had to give her was these fools. Their blood wasn't enough for her! She wants you and nothing else will suffice! Now, prepare to die!" the Suna-nin screamed as he threw Naruto into a tree, the blonde's back impacting hard enough to crack the trunk.

Not leaving time to feel the pain, Naruto quickly jumped to his feet. A tendril of sand whipped toward his head, and Naruto was hard pressed to dodge. Naruto growled, and called out to Kyūbi with his mind.

_'Hey! A little help here would be nice!'_ The little fox, which was riding on Sakura's shoulder at the moment, opened an eye and turned toward him.

There was a red flash of light, and Naruto felt the rush as the Kyūbi's chakra filled him. This only served to excite the Suna Genin more and more. Naruto charged the red-head, sidestepping a spear of sand that lanced out in an attempt to impale him. Naruto slashed, his claws coated in the fiery, red chakra.

Gaara raised his sand shield, confident in his perfect defense. He was not expecting the sudden gouges in his shield, or the angry red eyes glaring at him through the missing sections of his barrier. It excited him even more, the look in his foe's eyes. His grin spread across his face like a madman's.

"Yes! More, Uzumaki! Give me more! Let me use you to prove that my existence is absolute! Your death will elevate me, and I will never fade!"

Naruto growled again. **"Aww, shut up, you psychopath! I'm tired of hearing your mouth!"** he cried as he charged forward again, voice feral and claws leading the way.

"Come then, container of the Nine-Tails! Prove that your life means something to the world!"

There was no more banter then. There was only battle. Naruto slashed again and again at the sand shield that protected Gaara. Laughing maniacally, Gaara simply lashed out with tendrils and bullets of sand. It seemed the battle would never end, would only continue on forever.

Naruto snarled, and called out to the Kyūbi again. _'More! Give me more!' _The small fox lifted his head this time, and barked.

'Are you sure?'

_'Yes, just do it!'_ Naruto felt the sudden rush of power as he was once again filled with the chakra of the fox. There was a flash, and Naruto stood there, staring at the red-head, a wicked grin spread across his face.

Sakura was worried. Before, whenever the blonde used the Fox's power, there was a shapeless shroud around him, like an angry red aura. This time, it was different. It had shape, it was defined. She could clearly see the pair of tails whipping back and forth behind him, and wondered just what Naruto had done.

Anko was filled with a mix of emotions. She was scared, because her boyfriend was using a power that was inherently tainted, if not exactly evil. She didn't want him to lose himself. On the other hand, she was excited. She could taste the raw power he was channeling, and it was having an effect on her.

Naruto stood stock still, his eyes boring into the red-head. ** "Gaara of the Sand. I'm gonna give you a single chance to get away with your life. If you do not take it, I will end the current Kazekage's bloodline, starting with you!"**

Gaara felt a wave of aggression and blood lust run through his frame, stronger than anything he'd ever experienced before. "UZUMAKI!" he growled as sand poured out of his gourd. It wrapped around the boy, engulfing his relatively small frame. There was a maniacal glint in his eye as the sand wrapped around him, forming a shell. A few moments later, Naruto made a face of revulsion at what he saw when the shell opened.

Gaara's face was half covered with what appeared to be a monstrous tanuki's head. His arms and legs were massive, and ended in what could only be very sharp claws, all made of sand. One massive tail sprouted from his backside, waving through the air menacingly.

The vicious looking thing grinned, drool oozing from his smirking mouth. **"Come Uzumaki! Come to your death!"**

-=0000000=-

Temari had always prided herself on being a strong, independent kunoichi. When she saw her brother transform so quickly, a process which usually took several minutes to complete, her nerve broke. She reached into a pouch, and pulled out a set of seal tags. "Kankuro, we've got to use these now! If we don't, and he goes out of control, he'll ruin the entire plan!"

Kankuro shook his head. He'd always prided himself on his ability to get out of any situation."No fucking way! I'm not that stupid! We go out there now, and either Gaara wipes us out, or that Uzumaki kid blows us apart. I mean did you see him blast through Gaara's defenses?"

Temari paused, ready to leap out and plaster the seals on her youngest brother's head. "What do you suggest we do then?" she asked, honestly feeling scared from the amount of power charging the air.

Kankuro grinned, and shrugged his shoulders. "What else? We wait for Gaara to wipe this kid off the face of the planet, then go out there once he's calmed himself down. I mean, the runt doesn't stand a chance, if Gaara's gone into his partial."

Temari nodded, and slipped the seals back into her pouch. "Fine, but at the first sign that Gaara might lose, we hit him with the seals, and drag him off to another part of the Ruins."

Kankuro nodded.

-=0000000=-

Gaara whipped his arm forward, and smiled in grim satisfaction when his claws cut across the boy's arms. He spared a glance at the tips of his finger's hoping to finally see the blood that his mother so desperately craved. He saw nothing, and an angry snarl escaped his lips. **"Why! Why won't you bleed! Mother is demanding your blood! She craves it, desires it, and Mother will get what she wants! Bleed, you insignificant rodent! Bleed!"**

Naruto jumped back as a wave of sand threatened to bury him where he stood. He'd already witnessed what could happen if he got wrapped in that, if the sudden disappearance of several boulders and chunks of concrete were any indication. Another wave of sand spilled towards him, and Naruto leaped into the air. "**'Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!'**" he called as he moved his hands through several seals. Several balls of flame erupted from his pursed lips, each impacting the body of Gaara. The fireballs were so hot, they immediately caused the sand around them to turn to glass.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Naruto leaped forward, and planted a solid kick to his opponents face, knocking Gaara backwards several feet. His face was bleeding, but the grin never left it. **"Is that all you have, Uzumaki?"** he mocked as he slammed his fist into the sections of his torso that had been superheated into glass. Naruto watched as the sections fell off, only to be swallowed by the sand at his feet and ground up to be returned to the body. Gaara grinned, a twisted smile that sent shivers down the spines of the people watching.

**"Now do you see, Uzumaki? Now do you understand? There is nothing you can do to stop me, or defeat me! I am all but invincible! No, I am invincible!"** The horrendous creature roared before drawing in a massive amount of air. **"You may enjoy this! 'Fūton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa!'"**

Naruto could only watch as several mouths opened up along the surfaces of Gaara's body. At the same time, they all unleashed a blast of wind and sand that blew Naruto into a fallen-down wall, and shredded much of the vegetation in the area.

-=0000000=-

The fox on Sakura's shoulders watched the battle with a keen interest. He knew that Shukaku's hosts had a weak point while they were in the partial transformation, but it had been so long since he'd had to fight one of them. He wasn't quite sure where it was anymore. He watched as the creature performed a powerful Fūton technique, then watched as Naruto summoned a clone and combined a Fūton and a Katon technique to create a cluster of white-hot fireballs that seemed to boil the water out of the air around them. The fox watched as the boy, Gaara pulled his tail out of the way and instead batted the fireballs with his arm instead. Then it hit the small fox-demon. _**'That's it! The tail! The weak point, it has something to do with the tail!'**_

The Kyūbi watched closer now, studying the tail of the tanuki. It took several moments, where in Naruto was thrown backwards by a ball of solid air that the tanuki spit at him, before he saw it. At the base of the tanuki's tail, there was a crack. It seemed the sand shell was thin there, in order to give the tail the flexibility it was displaying. The Kyūbi called out to Naruto.

'Boy, I'm not much in the mood for dying out here, so I guess I'll give you a hand. The red head has a weak spot. It's at the base of his tail. I'm betting a powerful enough attack there would weaken him enough for you to finish him off.'

Naruto didn't respond, but there was a nod of his head as he focused on his opponent. Studying him carefully, he began moving around the battlefield as quickly as he could, rebounding off various objects that littered the clearing. It took a moment, but it suddenly became very clear. Gaara's new form was powerful, that was not being questioned, but it was slow. Naruto smirked, and pulled out his sword, channeling the Kyūbi's chakra through it. In a matter of moments, the fiery red blade he once used so effectively against the monster wolf, Duzell, was once again burning in his hands. The blonde took a moment to admire his handiwork, before charging the abomination in front of him.

Gaara fought hard, doing the best he could to make the blonde bleed, but his aura was so powerful, it deflected a majority of the sand that the red head relied so heavily on. For the first time in his life, a sense of panic welled up in the Ichibi jinchūriki's chest. They two combatants broke apart, and surveyed each other. Gaara's left side was crippled, his sand appendage removed and refusing to regenerate. There were minor gashes all over his torso, and the distinct taste of blood in his mouth. Naruto was nearly as banged up. By channeling his shroud into his sword, it weakened his own defenses. He was sporting a bloody lip, and his left leg was twisted around in an awkward position. He too was covered in minor cuts.

"Gaara! Give up! I'm giving you one more chance! Get out! I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to!"

Gaara felt his mother, heard her words in is mind. **"Mother has sampled your blood, and she craves more! Mother will not be denied!"** he cried as he dashed forward. Naruto raised his sword to strike, but was stopped, as a paper tag plastered itself to the tanuki's head.

Gaara stumbled, as two more tags hit him from opposite sides. With a grunt, the sand poured off the boy's body and back into the gourd. Naruto released the shroud, and felt the chakra drain away, before sheathing his sword.

Two figures emerged from the trees, their hands held out where they could be seen. "Hey, we don't want any trouble! We're just coming to collect Gaara. He's out of control, but those seal tags will keep him subdued long enough for us to get him out of here," Kankuro told them, while Temari lifted the red-head onto her fan, which floated in the air behind her.

Naruto glared at the trio as they made a hasty retreat. Once they were out of sight, he turned and grinned at this teammates. "Hey, I won," he grunted before slumping to the ground, totally exhausted.

Anko and Sakura shook their heads, and picked the blonde up, and moved deeper into the trees, looking for a place to make camp.

**AN: Translation for Gaara's attack here.**

******'Fūto********n: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa** = **Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud Great Devastation**


	18. PETITION

If you care please copy, sign and post this.

Petition:

I, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that (I believe) violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in it's original form, this is something that I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be losing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

(Personal: I was led to believe this was a site for the fans. Meaning we can upload any kind of material, as long as it stuck to the criteria given to us before an upload. Or instead of simply getting rid of pretty much the best stories on the site, LIMIT the amount of yaoi on the site. Or at the very least have its own place in the filters )

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